The second half is better than the first

Rating: 6/10 (1 January 2019)

I wanted to love this. I love WWII stories and I love true stories and I love movies about literature. While this ticked all those boxes, it didn't come together as an entire film. The biggest issue is that all of the elements of the story in the first half of the story that are ripe with the MOST conflict (the Nazis taking over Guernsey Island, a group almost being arrested for it, the formation of a pretend book club that in turn becomes a real book club) are told in flashback, which robs the story of immediacy and tension. Later, there is some conflict and drama that arises in real time, and it has a touching ending which save it from being a lower score. Great setting on the English channel, great actors, great concept - just not delivered in the most satisfying way.