One Life Trailer Faces Regret in the Wake of Heroism

Movies

An oddly timed prestige picture is on the way. Today, Warner Bros. released a trailer for One Life, a biopic that won’t see theaters till next year. One Life is about Nicholas Winton, an Englishman who helped  669 children in Prague escape the Nazis in the lead-up to World War II but is haunted in his old age by the ones he couldn’t save. Anthony Hopkins stars as Nicholas Winton, with Johnny Flynn playing Winton as a younger man; Helena Bonham Carter, Jonathan Pryce, and Lena Olin also star. Directed by James Hawes in his feature film debut, One Life will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2023, and will be released in the US on January 5, 2024. You can see the trailer below:

Unless it hits theaters in the UK early and qualifies for a foreign film Oscar, it seems like a waste for One Life to make its theatrical debut in January. This is the kind of movie the Oscars were made for, good or bad. Regardless, it looks interesting. The theme of a man who saved so many focusing only on those he didn’t is reminiscent of Schindler’s List, but I imagine it’s something commonly felt by people who tried to prevent a horror like the Holocaust. Anthony Hopkins is always amazing, but what struck me most about the trailer is how much Johnny Flynn looks like a younger version of him. I imagine at least some of it is makeup, lighting, and various other kinds of movie magic, but the effect is sensational. The supporting cast is made up of greats, and everything about it screams “prestige picture,” but it still looks like a good movie, perhaps something heartwarming to begin the new year.