This is an absorbing and well-made film, but do not imagine that it is primarily about Sassoon and Owen. As its title suggests, the film is mainly about the healing of men mentally scarred by war. It concentrates on the work of Dr W Rivers, the effect of that work on him and the transformation of one particular patient. There is good period detail and fine performances, especially by Jonathan Pryce as Rivers, Jonny Lee Miller as the young soldier and Tanya Allen as the soldier's girlfriend.
Downton Abbey trivia - Julian Fellowes makes a cameo appearance as a pompous civil servant (this film was made well before he achieved fame writing Downton); and Jonny Lee Miller as the young soldier sounds and behaves spookily like the character Thomas Barrow in Downton Abbey.
Very moving, stunning cinematography just very well crafted film making in general, in that you get completely absorbed.
Please read the books first tho , i know everyone says that but its especially true here. The character of Dr Rivers is so well writen, i read this while travelling and i ended up writing letters to Dr Rivers every day as therapy. He was a great soul.
James Wilby is a revelation , such fantastic acting all round.
The British working class have been the victim of this cruelty for hundreds of years. You are reminded of just how hard it was to be a conchie, so you basically had no choice. Ending up being given orders to march toward machine gun fire . as they say " how did we go from being called salt of the earth, to scum of the earth" .