10 Best British Movies Of 2017
3. Their Finest
On the face of it, Their Finest perhaps looks the less impressive of the two Second World War films on this list. However, this is a movie packed with raw emotion and it serves as a rousing message about the power of cinema. It also comes with a neat feminist message that feels very timely in a year that has seen Hollywood's treatment of women fall under the spotlight.
Gemma Arterton is taken on by the Ministry of Information to write dialogue for women, known derisively as "slop", for propaganda films. She soon finds herself working with Sam Claflin on a film about heroic women taking part in the Dunkirk evacuation, starring Bill Nighy as an actor longing for a meaty part, but only able to bring ham to it.
Their Finest is a joy of a film that, while lacking the bite of director Lone Scherfig's previous film The Riot Club, has plenty to say about the role of women and the power of propaganda. It's an uplifting story with the ability to bring a tear to even the most cynical of eyes.