A young boy in the Netherlands comes of age under Nazi occupation in the complicated, beautiful drama "Winter in Wartime."
Michiel (Martijn Lakemeier) wants to help the Resistance movement and looks up to his outspoken Uncle Ben (Yorik van Wageningen) and wishes that his father (Raymond Thiry) were equally abrasive in his dealings with the Nazis as the mayor of a small Dutch town.
Director Martin Koolhoven expertly weaves the tensions among the family as Michiel comes across — and decides to secretly protect — a British aviator who has crashed in the fields.
As with many coming-of-age stories, Michiel's initial impressions of his uncle and his father become more nuanced as the family becomes imperiled by Michiel's actions.
"Winter in Wartime" was a big hit in the Netherlands and was the nation's entry for the best foreign-language Oscar.
"Winter in Wartime"
Grade: 4 out of 5 stars
Genres: Historical Drama, War
Running Time: 103 min
MPAA rating: R
