Burning at Both Ends (2021) Poster

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4/10
Enjoyable but hopelessly inaccurate historically
BurnhamTV8 April 2022
Watched via Amazon Prime, this film rates at 4* for a film and 5* for a TV Movie. As a TV Movie, it probably would screen over two evenings at 2 hours a time including adverts. As a low budget film, it is lacking in action.

A radio on the Cote D'Azur with a 50 Km signal range could not be picked up in Lyon.

In 1944, the Cote D'Azur was under Italian occupation. Wehrmacht officers wouldn't have been there at all. They were either shoring up the Eastern Front or preparing the Western Wall in anticipation of the Allied invasion.

In 1944 the Italians were more interested in getting back to Italy. The family could have stayed there indefinitely.
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6/10
Hallmark's Third Reich
zorroaca10 November 2021
Good quality filming and sound. Good sets for a low budget. Acting... a tad bit over emphasizing. Sort of over dramatic at the end. Not a bad film if you are into Nancy Drew type stuff.
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1/10
Watch if you are into amateurishly-executed films.
developmentczar10 November 2021
This is a must-see if you love poorly scripted material, derivative storylines that have been told a million times better by a million other filmmakers, over-the-top performances that rival the acting greats in Hannah Montana, and two and a half hour films that are not titled Dune. Six hundred years ago Gabe Bell coined the phrase "you get what you pay for." It holds true for everything from girlz to blenders, but also for screenplay purchases and director's services. The producers of this clearly got exactly what they paid for.
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2/10
Its so bad - They changed the title!
robdrummond2 April 2022
On Amazon the title is changed to "Resistance 1942" - no wonder IMDB didnt have it listed!

A truly boring film where almost nothing happens - until the last half hour or so.

The score on here is hardly worth 3.5.

Dont bother - I wish I hadnt.
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3/10
An otherwise (probably) good film ruined by one actor
rob-0519828 January 2023
Most modern WWII films are abominations in one way or another; either overly dramatising violence to fuel blood lust in an audience who should not be their target (surely, leave this for Game of Thrones and the like - rather educate an audience who wants to learn about WWII rather than exploiting a dark period in history...), or misrepresenting key historical points. After watching the trailer, this I thought this film might avoid those common pitfalls. However, I did trip up in the trailer over one you actress, who ended up being the reason I could not watch the whole film. Juliette, or rather the actress Greer Grammer, ruins this film. Her acting is so anachronistic, and she is so out of place with otherwise good actors, apparently an otherwise good plot, that I could not bear to watch the whole thing. I was surprised to see that she is the daughter of Kelsey Grammer, an actor I do respect and whose work I have enjoyed. Little of his ability appears to have rubbed-off on her. Maybe he helped open some doors, as I cannot believe she was given the opportunity on ability alone. Why on earth does her character have an American accent? Daughter of a French man, this is not at all clear in the plot, unless I have missed something by not watching to the end... Apart from this, her acting is plainly awful. She portrays no sense of the time, place, or how people behaved in this period. If producers need actors from this generation, surely they could find someone with skill or who could research, or at least listen to good direction?

Nice to see Mira Furlan again. What a shame such a skilled actress had such a small part while a main character was given a large and ruining rôle.
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7/10
Attractive and enjoyable film with intrigue and tension enough about French freedom fighters
ma-cortes13 January 2023
June 1940 , the last British forces evacuate from Dunkirk , leaving France in the hands of Germans. France signs an armistice creating the Vichy Regime, a puppet government controlled by the Nazis. December 1941 , most people lack food , warmth , and medicine. 1942. France is under Nazi control. The Allies have been pushed off the continent and their defeat in North Africa seems likely. Germany's victory is nearly absolute. The government exerts control by restricting travel, information , and freedom of assembly. Radio emerges as one of the most powerful weapons of the war . Leaders sway hearts and minds with potent speeches and propaganda. August 1942, Vichy Police and specially trained units of Gestapo pursue any rogue radio broadcasters with brutal determination . Under threat of death and the dark shadow of tyranny , one voice dares to keep a message of hope alive. Under this shadow, a man named Jacques (Cary Elwes) provides hope and illusion to the unfortunate French people besieged , mistreated and harassed by the ruthless Nazis . So Cary Elwes gives life to Jacques, the voice of a clandestine station that gives hope to the French in the dark hours of Nazi domination . He hides in an attic with his daughter Juliet (Greer Grammer) and a small group of fellow survivors (Judd Hirsch, Mira Furlan), playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with the German occupiers. The world becomes too dangerous when the Gestapo send Captain Klaus Jager (Sebastian Roche) to catch Jacques. As Klaus closes in, Jacques and his small group make a desperate bid to escape their pursuer , trusting themselves to the help of enigmatic Andre (Jason Patric), a Swiss banker. In the end, that trust may turn out to be the very thing that leads the hunter to his prey . Together, they try to avoid detection while hoping to be liberated by the Allies, but even meeting basic needs can become a challenge, and even minor incidents could present a grave risk. To protect the broadcast, a group of resisters will put their lives at stake, having to trust someone outside of them to survive. But the hunt has only just begun.

This is a worthwhile film paying cinematic tribute to "The Diary of Anne Frank" and other films about the brave resistance againt the cruel Nazis . Dealing with a small group of dissident survivors who caught behind enemy lines ,struggle to remain hidden from the Nazis as they use a radio to broadcast a message of hope. This is a nice thriller set in occupied France in 1943 with a terrible game of cat and mouse between the Nazis with a group of resistance fighters who give hope to the population. It offers a solid cast, some cheap but very effective settings , and a generally well-considered selection of actors . Stars Cary Elwes as the brave man who uses a radio to broadcast a message of hope , however a new German command well played by Sebastian Roché has arrived with the purpose of silencing it , along with Jason Patric acting as an enigmatic Swiss financer . While Judd Hirsch and Mira Furlan (whom is dedicated the film due a her sudden death) play an unfortunate Jewish marriage , and the newcomer teen Greer Grammer -Kalsey Grammer's daughter- performs pretty well as a valiant young freedom fighter. The motion picture was efficiently and professionally directed by Matthew Hill and Landon Johnson. Rating : 6.5/10. Worthwhile watching . The flick will appeal to WWII buffs.
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2/10
Not a good movie
janmanuel217 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Text: When we started this movie, we both liked it and thought that our ratings would be high. The beginning was thrilling. A kind and wealthy man helped the underground group in ways beyond which most people could. Towards the end of the movie, there was a dinner party at this man's mansion with Nazis. Several of the Nazis were suspicious of some things and were trying to find the radio broadcaster by looking at signals which came from that area. The movie became a 2 for me at this point. Most of the people working the underground in that group became very obvious in their hatred of Nazis at the dinner party. The wealthy man helping them had an escape route for them within a day, so they were endangering his life. So instead of behaving as an underground group would, almost the entire group started to act out and reveal who they were. It was ridiculous. One of them wanted to start shooting the Nazis. The group of people were pretending to be new servants for the wealthy man and quite possibly could have gotten away with it. The young girl was pretending to be his daughter who had been away at school. This screenplay actually became silly. The actions and dialogue became unbelievable.

Summary: Not a believable movie.
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10/10
New take on WWII
loola-7709612 February 2023
It is nice to watch a WWII movie from a new angle! It takes place in France instead of Germany, and shows how no one was allowed to stand up to the Nazis.

It is always nice to Carey Elwes, and a nice surprise to see Mira Furlan.

Story was not predictable at all which is also refreshing. Usually with WWII movies, you can see where it is going, but considering the whole movie takes a different angle than your typical WWII movie, it was not easy to assume what will happen next. I absolutely loved the end, took me by surprise.

I also really loved the message of not standing up to those who are wrong is essentially picking a side.
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9/10
Beautiful, suspenseful & riveting
marimiller-8207512 July 2023
A must see movie! The low rating of others is inaccurate. Great plot, good script, great acting, totally engrossing, inspiring & never a dull moment--what more can you ask for? Even though it takes place during WWII, I thought it was especially relevant to our times. We are in a dire moment in our history--the dominance of dis-, mis- & mal-information, the broken Congress inhabited by some Nazi's, the corrupt Supreme Court, the war in Ukraine, global warming, species extinction, just to mention a few issues of our day. Now more than ever we need to find the courage to stand up to liars & power mongers & this film does that in a most beautiful & artistic way.
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9/10
Not as bad as its rating
I'm not sure why all the poor ratings. Good story, well acted and well produced.

Not ever going to be Oscar nominated but a good entertaining watch. I have rated it slightly higher to give it a better score as I enjoyed it. I have definitely seen a lot, lot worse.
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10/10
Well-done for a first attempt.
mattbugbee25 November 2022
The movie is an edge-of-your-seat thriller with good to great acting, especially by the lead actors. The plot is not foregone or predictable as the story line and setting progresses and expands. The movie shows the struggles, costs, and rewards of staying true to one's convictions in the face of hostility and persecution. The hostility and irrational intolerance of the Nazi's ubermensch worldview towards Jews, Christians, and developmentally disabled is vividly portrayed during the dinner party scene. Camera angles and timing are occasionally off-balance, but the vitality and passion of the filmmakers is evident throughout.
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9/10
Happy I watched it
kirep-8896018 November 2022
This isn't going to win any Oscars, but I very much enjoyed it. Harkens back to old Hollywood in the story, but with more complex characters. Recommended.

A little more detail: Jacques leads well with inspiring monologues, though Cary Elwe's very Cary-ness can sometimes override his otherwise excellent acting. Andre is delightfully opaque, great work by Jason Patric. Wish there was more Judd Hirsch to see, he is a real emotional anchor for the film. Greer Grammar as Juliet is probably the hardest, but in all honesty, she did quite well considering who she was paired with on the screen.

All around, good stuff.
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10/10
MUST-WACTH MOVIE 2021
fellyngame9 November 2021
This movie is very good in my opinion. About 150 minutes long but it felt very short as I enjoyed watching it. Everyone play their role amazingly. It's breathtaking, emotional, a truly great piece of filmmaking and a very good portrayal of faith, hope, love and sacrifice during The Third Reich in French. Definitely good movie to watch along or alone.
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9/10
Same film?
hersheydomino27 June 2022
Judd hirsh seldom delivers below par and this is well one-off and it shows here while not the center of the story he delivers well.

The whole film is tense and on the edge ok some usual goofs as seen in many films.

Just enjoy it and not every war movies needs Machine guns galore this is like an Agatha christe drama the dinner is scary in who breaks first.
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9/10
Not perfect, but a good watch
tinifa-8512619 November 2022
Like the title says, not a perfect movie but a very enjoyable one. Just beautiful to watch, to be honest. Such great lighting and design overall. Acting is on par with most movies, mostly good with a some great and some not-so-great. Music is a real win, particularly the violin solo and the orchestrations that accompany it. I wonder if its a pre-recorded melody or made for this film? Need to re-watch the credits to see.

Seems like this movie is really polarizing, you love it or you hate it. Guess I'm on the love side of the spectrum. There's lots of Hollywood trash out there to waste an hour and a half on, but this is one of the good ones.
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10/10
A Story to Keep You Guessing
brandoncurington21 November 2022
Such a good cast and everyone played their part well. This was a great story that kept you guessing till the end. At first, I wasn't sure I wanted to jump into another World War II movie, but Resistance: 1942 was a refreshing take on the struggles of not just a hunt for Jews but also for a Christian missionary providing hope. Taking place in France instead of Germany provided a story outside of the typical norm of concentration camps and D-Day battle fronts that brought a more intriguing story with characters who must learn to trust each other and decide what the right thing to do is. This is a must-see movie for everyone.
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9/10
Lovely little find
jowisik16 April 2024
Stumbled across this on Paramount and very happy it popped up. The relationship between Jaque and Andre was so delightfully suspenseful, I honestly didn't know how this would end until the credits rolled.

I supposed this is the constraint of indie movies like this, but I do wish I could have seen more of the wider world. This felt very boxed in, which lends to the tension, now that I think about it! But the production design was so detailed and textured, I really wanted more and bigger.

Final note on the score, absolutely lovely. There's a beauitful moment between the Christian and Jewish characters about half way through, and the music... you have to watch!
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