Rent Six Minutes to Midnight (2020)

Worth a watch. - Six Minutes to Midnight review by RG

Gentle film with some interesting historical background. Judi Dench always enjoyable and warmed to Eddie Izzard character.

Watchable derring-do spy tale based on a real Nazi girls' boarding school in England in the 1930s - Six Minutes to Midnight review by PV

OK so to say this is based on true events is stretching it. Yes, there was such a German girls' school at Bexhill-on-Sea from 1932-1939, and yes they had a badge with a swastika - but then in 1936 the German ambassador who'd died suddenly in London had this coffin draped with a swastika flag as it was taken to a German destroyer docked on the Thames, whilst being serenaded by a British military bagpipes, and the England football team gave swastika salutes in Berlin 1936 as did competitors at the Olympics that year - the swastika then did not mean the same as the swastika now, which has changed its meaning due to history.

However, in real life all the girls went back to Germany a week before was was declared on 3rd September 1939. So all the spy stuff, and plane at the end, and chase scenes are all a derring do fictional B-movie spy thriller tacked onto a real context. To be fair, most 'true story' movies are mostly fiction (like the recent 'Elvis').

I cannot decide whether I like Eddie Izzard in the role or not. I preferred him playing a serial killer cannibal in TV drama series Hannibal, but then maybe that's because it was fun watching him eat his own leg! I liked the authentic casting of German girls as German girls - having heard horrendous attempted accents (Russian and German) from actors in BBc TV/radio dramas. Judi Dench plays Judi Dench as per usual - cue gushing.

Anyway, this is his baby as he spent much time in Bexhill on sea, attended prep school there then Eastbourne private school - his dad was a rich oil company man. how very socialist.

A bit slow, but a well acted, interesting story - Six Minutes to Midnight review by giantrolo

Generally a good watch, but it was quiiiiite a slow burn where not a lot happened for much of the film. Very good acting all-round, as you would expect from a film starring Judie Dench, Jim Broadbent and Eddie Izzard! An interesting story, though, and would still recommend!

One to avoid! - Six Minutes to Midnight review by PL

Poor Judi Dench. She tried her best to maintain some credibility in this film but surrounded by otherwise unconvincing acting, direction and plot, there was little to enjoy.

My most positive comments would be concerning frequent moments of humour - always unintentional unfortunately.

I try to be as objective and broad minded as possible in commenting on any film but I was struggling with this one.

Silly, Awful Spy Film - Six Minutes to Midnight review by GI

A preposterous and daft Second World War spy story that has a hopelessly miscast Eddie Izzard as a British agent who infiltrates an Anglo/German school for young ladies located on the English south coast. Why he needs to do this is anyone's guess but in any event he impersonates a teacher, witnesses the nazi ideology being taught to the girls (who are all related to prominent nazis apparently). He's not sure about the headteacher (Judi Dench, who is wasted in the role) who he catches doing a nazi salute. Set in August 1939 and with tensions between the two countries the British want to keep these girls in England. Why is also anyone's guess, I presumed as hostages but it's not very clear because Izzard spends most of the film running across beaches and moors in Richard Hannay style trying to escape from either the police or nazi agents. The whole thing is thoroughly silly and everyone does stupid things which will make you groan out loud. Even Jim Broadbent supports as a bus driver!!

Unbelievably awful - Six Minutes to Midnight review by SL

A complete mess. The plot just didn't make any sense and the script was leaden. It's not often I don't see a film through to the end but life was too short for this one. What a waste of a good cast.