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The Exception

The Exception

War · Drama · Romance · 2017

Nothing is as it seems in this riveting World War 2 thriller as a wary soldier goes to investigate a mysterious German monarch at his secluded mansion, leading him into a web of deceit and a dangerous love affair with a local Jewish woman.

Movie details

The Exception

“One duty. One desire. One decision.”

2017 War · Drama · Romance 1h 47m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.9 / 10

Community rating

Nothing is as it seems in this riveting World War 2 thriller as a wary soldier goes to investigate a mysterious German monarch at his secluded mansion, leading him into a web of deceit and a dangerous love affair with a local Jewish woman.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Exception?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Cold Mountain

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Flyboys

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Walking with the Enemy

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Drama · 2006

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

David Leveaux

Written by

Simon Burke

Lily James

Lily James

Mieke de Jong

Jai Courtney

Jai Courtney

Capt Stefan Brandt

Eddie Marsan

Eddie Marsan

Heinrich Himmler

Christopher Plummer

Christopher Plummer

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Janet McTeer

Janet McTeer

Princess Hermine 'Hermo' Reuss of Greiz

D

Daisy Boulton

Secretary

Ben Daniels

Ben Daniels

Col Sigurd von Ilsemann

Court is in session

Put The Exception on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.