December 19, 2024 – This is a terrific film, an intense exploration of London during the deadly bombing raids of World War II. I have seen a lot of films about this period of time in London, but none better than this. It also showed me things I've never seen, or even heard about before.

Written and directed by the award-winning Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”) this movie explores war-torn London from the viewpoint of a nine-year-old boy, George Hanway (played by Elliott Heffernan in his movie debut) who is trying to find his way home.

George's mother, Rita (Saoirse Ronan of “Little Women”) makes the difficult decision to send George out of London to live in the country where it is safer. George is angry with his mother for doing this, but later changes his mind and wants to return home to apologize for his bad behavior.

George jumps off the train taking him to safety and makes his way back to London. He has many adventures and encounters dangers along the way back home. When Rita learns that George did not arrive at his destination, she angrily confronts the authorities she had entrusted with the safety of her son. She is determined to find him on her own.

There are flashbacks showing George's relationship with his mother and grandfather, Gerald (played by singer-songwriter Paul Weller in his movie debut). Another flashback shows Rita's relationship with George's father, who is deported after a racially-charged fight.

George, who is of mixed race, confronts his own racial identity after being befriended by a black air raid warden from Africa, Ife (Benjamin Clémentine of “Dune: Part One”). There is a beautiful scene between these two in an underground bomb shelter, after George sees Ife stand up against racial and ethnic intolerance.

A little-known figure from the past, Mickey Davies (played by Leigh Gill of “Joker”) gets his just due in this movie as a little man with a big heart and legendary leadership skills. Davies uses his leadership and organizing skills to make an underground bomb shelter a much safer, healthier and welcoming place. Rita works at the shelter as a medic. Davies is credited with helping to lay the groundwork for the current health care system in England.

At one point in his perilous journey home, George is kidnapped by a gang of criminals led by a mentally damaged Dickensian character Albert (Stephen Graham of “Venom: The Last Dance”). George is forced to help the gang steal valuables from bombed out buildings, and worse. In one disturbing scene, the gang of thieves steal from bomb victims at the Café de Paris Nightclub.

In another harrowing scene, George and many others are trapped in a subway tunnel which becomes flooded due to bomb damage. This scene was inspired by the actual Balham station disaster on October 14, 1940, when 66 people died there. Unreasonable restrictions on access to subway tunnels is a recurring theme in the movie.

George's incredible journey is extremely compelling, as is his mother's determination to find him. This movie is loaded with great performances, compelling narratives and characters. It is all about the evil that people do, and the everyday people who rise to become unlikely heroes in such terrible circumstances, people who somehow find hope in hopeless times.

This is one of the very best films of 2024. It rates an A.

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