Good window to view a brief time in history

Rating: 8/10 (15 October 2018)

I was excited to see a movie made about Sir Winston Churchill. I was hoping that it wouldn't "marble-ize" him as a hero (which he was) and gloss over his periodically abrasive personality. This movie did a pretty good job of capturing his persona, and Gary Oldman (who is a chameleon) deserved the awards and accolades he received for his performance.
The depiction of Neville Chamberlain was masterful as well. It's one thing to find an actor who looks somewhat like the character, but Ronald Pickup looked and acted so much like him, it was creepy.
Several scenes were masterful - such as the War Cabinet's attempts to maneuver Churchill into acquiescing to an Italian peace envoy. Another was the total feeling of isolation and despair that Gary Oldman projected after being rebuffed over the phone by FDR. And Mendelsohn as King George contemplating potential rule "in abstentia" showed the start realities of total defeat they were facing.
Was it a good movie? Yes. Was it award worthy? Yes. The only thing I would have to critique about the movie is that it is geared more for people who don't know the story of Churchill, the Nazi blitz, Dunkirk, or only know the generalities of World War II. It's a good starting point for those individuals, but for students of the genre, it won't add anything new to your repertoire.