Based on an autobiographical novel, Testament of Youth is a great story paying tribute to theyoung adults who courageously enrolled themselves in the resistance during the WWI.
This is the universe that I’m usually keen on when I watch the trailer but that finally annoys me afterwards. At first, I thought I was watching another a story of a young English girl from a well-off family and who was independent, feminist and claimed that she would never fall in love until she actually does this exact thing and forgets her dreams of independence.
But I was wrong!
Testament of Youth is not a love story (which is only a plot of the movie) but it deals with a true friendship between Vera (Alicia Vikander), her brother Edward (Taron Egerton seen in Kingsman), their friends Victor (Colin Morgan) and Roland (Kit Harington as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones) whom Vera falls in love with. It also deals with loss and reconstruction after the WWI.
You watch them evolve. First by education – since the three young men are students at Oxford and Vera has the dream to join us later – and by life. They all think they must do their duty as a soldier for the young men and as a nurse for Vera.
On the whole, Taron Egerton, Colin Morgan and Kit Harington perform their characters very well, their friendship remains safe despite the military and sentimental troubles. But Alicia Vikander (on screen also in The Man from UNCLE) manages to give some credit to Vera in this film. She is first a girl protected by her parents, then she tries to be emancipated as the war is ahead. You feel empathy for this character thanks to the soundtrack composed by Max Richter. It makes it a touching film.
The war is not what matters the most, the content of this story is the damage that is made and that affects you into the theatre. Testament of Youth is a film not to be missed.
Actors Performance
Directing
Screenplay
Soundtrack
Final Note
Is it #DudeChick certified ?
A classical but beautiful film and very well performed and that cannot leave you indifferent.
