Legendary Collaboration Fails to Impress
The good news for British cinema is that national treasure Alan Bennett, now 91, has penned a new original screenplay. Furthermore, The Choral reunites him with director Nicholas Hytner, the acclaimed partnership behind The Madness of King George (1994), The History Boys (2006), and The Lady in the Van (2015).
A Story That Never Convinces
Set in a fictional Yorkshire town during the First World War in 1916, the film centres on the local choral society's preparations to perform Edward Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius. Despite this promising setup and a tip-top cast including Ralph Fiennes, Roger Allam, and Simon Russell Beale, the film is widely regarded as second-rate Bennett and second-rate Hytner.
The narrative struggles under the weight of its own ambitions, trying simultaneously to be a comedy, a weepie, and a history lesson. It attempts to tackle class, sexuality, and bereavement, but in straining to be melancholic, profound, and fun, it never quite convinces as a coherent story.
Strong Cast Let Down by Material
Ralph Fiennes plays Henry Guthrie, a refined local doctor with German ties and discreet homosexuality, who reluctantly agrees to lead the choral society. While Fiennes and the entire cast do their utmost, they are let down by disappointingly flabby material.
The film is crowded with many sub-plots, mostly related to the war on the Western Front. Some of these work nicely, while others fall completely flat. Critics have noted there are too many big, set-piece monologues, and every emotional moment feels forced, like someone energetically ringing church bells rather than gently tugging on heartstrings.
Even Bennett's famed wit seems to falter, with one-liners such as 'There are atheists now... there's one in Bradford' feeling unworthy of the great writer. For all its occasional virtues, The Choral ultimately disappoints, failing to live up to the legacy of its creators' previous collaborations.
