One Life

One Life
Starring Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Helena Bonham Carter, Lena Olin
Directed by James Hawes

In the words of the great American poet Marshall Mathews: "If you had one shot, or one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted...one moment...would you capture it, or just let it slip?" While it might be a stretch going from Eminem to an Anthony Hopkins film about World War II, the theme is the same: if you had one opportunity to accomplish something great, knowing the risks that come with it, would you do it, or would you let fear hold you back? In the case of Nicholas Winton, he chose to take the shot and organized one of the greatest mass migrations of Jewish children from Prague to London that resulted in the saving of 699 lives. One ordinary life literally saved thousands of generations of children that would've succumbed to the horrors of Hitler's Nazi regime, and shows the perseverance and nature of the human spirit.

At his wife Grete's (Lena Olin) behest, Nicholas Winton (Anthony Hopkins) is tasked with cleaning his office of the clutter he's amassed over the decades. He comes across a binder that contains his work with the British Committee for Refugees from Czechoslovakia along with pictures of hundreds of children that he helped save. As he contemplates what to do with it, he flashes back to the beginnings of World War II as a young man (Johnny Flynn) who sees the destitute nature of the children in Prague, and the impending doom of the Nazi occupation. He organizes with a group of other ordinary people to smuggle the children from Prague to London, and against insurmountable odds managed to save 699 children before the war began. Back in the 80s, a now aged Nicholas' work falls into the hands of the television show That's Life! and they invite him on the show - and surprises him with a few of the lives he helped save all those decades earlier.

While not a technically proficient film in the sense that it feels very minute and small compared to the greatness that is "Schindler's List," "One Life" importantly tells the story of another savior during World War II, who's referred to as the British Schindler - Nicholas Winton. Honestly, up until this movie, I never knew who he was, but after watching the movie I saw the YouTube video of the real Winton on the That's Life! show and the impact he had on just a few lives, let alone the thousands more that weren't shown on the show. The film is an uplifting, powerful, and touching film that'll tug at your heartstrings and have you believing in the power of humanity again, proving that even the smallest person can change the course of the future.

Winton is played by two acclaimed actors in two different eras of his life. In the past he's played by Johnny Flynn, and you see the pain in his face as he realizes he won't be able to save all the children, as well as the dedication and resilience in his soul that doesn't allow him to let despair trainwreck his plan. It seems impossible - not only did he have to transfer the children from Prague to London, but he had to raise insurmountable funds and find foster parents to take in all the children - but he allowed his tenacity and willpower to overcome the odds which resulted in not just the children being rescued, but their descendants as well. Much like Abraham in the Bible, Winton's act of service led to countless lives being born that wouldn't have been otherwise, and Flynn plays the role perfectly.

As an older man, Anthony Hopkins takes on the role and you sense a different feel for Winton. Now he laments about those children he couldn't save, even though he tries not to think about it, and spends his life in a sense of sweet melancholy. He doesn't allow himself to feel because he knows he'll break down, because all those decades later he still feels guilty for the children he couldn't save. Yet when he's put face-to-face to those children (now adults), he allows his emotions to pour out, and Hopkins proves once again why he's one of the best actors out there. You'll feel the tears come too, but not just for sadness - but hope that people can do great things without having great titles. All you need is the desire to do it, and your one life could save literal thousands.

Touching on a story not really explored, "One Life" showcases the power of one man's life and how his decisions and dedication saved countless lives throughout the decades and generations, giving us hope for ourselves that we too can make a difference in this world.

The Score: A-