Diplomacy is based off a play by Cyril Gely, and, in many respects, it feels like a play brought to film. This is, however, probably the movie's biggest weakness, as it moves very slowly at times. Despite this though, the film is very well acted and does feature some very interesting uses of editing and directing.
Set during World War II, Diplomacy tells the story of the relationship between Dietrich von Choltitz (played by Niels Arestrup), the German military governor who is currently occupying Paris, and Swedish consul-general Raoul Nordling (played by Andre Dussollier), as Nordling attempts to convince Choltitz not to bomb Paris.
Diplomacy features some very good acting by the two leads, especially Dussollier as Nordling who looks very stern and strong throughout most of the movie. The majority of the film is set inside the office room where the two main characters are talking. At first, it seemed like the film would primarily be a one-room movie, but after the first forty or so minutes, we see some action happening outside, as soldiers are fighting for their lives. The shift is unexpected, but works in the film's favor.
The film doesn't shy away from the violence of war, and showed it in a very realistic manner, even if only for a few scenes. The others thing I appreciated about the film is the musical score, which at times was very effective, being both chilling and dramatic. The sets were excellent and made the film look like it was actually occurring during the 1940's in France. Overall, I'd say these positive attributes as worked together to make this film very enjoyable.
Overall, the film could have benefited by giving the audience more time to breathe, but if you're a fan of war movies, I definitely recommend seeing this film.
Set during World War II, Diplomacy tells the story of the relationship between Dietrich von Choltitz (played by Niels Arestrup), the German military governor who is currently occupying Paris, and Swedish consul-general Raoul Nordling (played by Andre Dussollier), as Nordling attempts to convince Choltitz not to bomb Paris.
Diplomacy features some very good acting by the two leads, especially Dussollier as Nordling who looks very stern and strong throughout most of the movie. The majority of the film is set inside the office room where the two main characters are talking. At first, it seemed like the film would primarily be a one-room movie, but after the first forty or so minutes, we see some action happening outside, as soldiers are fighting for their lives. The shift is unexpected, but works in the film's favor.
The film doesn't shy away from the violence of war, and showed it in a very realistic manner, even if only for a few scenes. The others thing I appreciated about the film is the musical score, which at times was very effective, being both chilling and dramatic. The sets were excellent and made the film look like it was actually occurring during the 1940's in France. Overall, I'd say these positive attributes as worked together to make this film very enjoyable.
Overall, the film could have benefited by giving the audience more time to breathe, but if you're a fan of war movies, I definitely recommend seeing this film.