Post World War II, a British colonel and his wife are assigned to live in Hamburg during the post-war reconstruction, but tensions arise with the German who previously owned the house.
The opening scene of “The Aftermath” glimpses a series of exploding bombs raking the city of Hamburg. This provides some hint of the context, but only that. The carpet-bombing of Hamburg by Allied forces went on for a full week – devastation so complete, British officials later called it the Hiroshima of Germany. Dry, warm weather incited a literal firestorm, with winds clocking in at 150 miles per hour causing a tornadic fire that obliterated huge sections of the city. As the film’s title implies, we see only the remnants of broken buildings and people.
Keira Knightley plays Rachael Morgan, who we learn is married to Colonel Lewis Morgan (Jason Clarke). When the couple reunites after a long separation, the emotional distance between them is palpable and obvious. Only later do we learn that the death of their young son created a cavernous abyss that perhaps neither of them can cross.
As the senior British official in charge of restoring order to the beleaguered city, Colonel Morgan takes residence in most probably the finest intact estate in the area. Stephen Lubert (Alexander Skarsgård), a former architect, now metalworker and his daughter Freda (Flora Thiemann) still occupy the mansion, set to leave for a work camp. Soon enough, however, the two families decide on an uneasy arrangement enabling the Luberts to quarter in the relatively Spartan upstairs section of the great house.
In previous films such as “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” Jason Clarke demonstrated the ability to portray emotionally conflicted characters in a convincing manner. Similarly, in “The Aftermath,” his Colonel Lewis steels himself to steward the rebuilding process even-handedly, despite a hostile German populace lacking food and housing, as well as cynical members of his own officer corps.
Meanwhile, Rachael longs to reconnect with her husband in the wake of their shared tragedy, but the nature of his duties keeps him busy most of the time. Even when Lewis manages to return home, other emergencies call him back to the field almost immediately.
Initially, Rachael remains openly hostile to the Lubert family, who have also suffered loss – in their case, a wife and mother killed in the firestorm. Tension builds on both sides of the household, mirrored by the larger backdrop of lingering enmity between the Allied troops and German citizens.
In the course of events, Rachael starts to spend more time with Stephen and Freda. Although standoffish at first, Rachael finds something tantalizing about Stephen, and eventually, the mischief unfolds. Rachael tiptoes around the affair with Susan, a fellow officer’s wife played nicely by Kate Phillips. As the movie progresses, one gets a faint sense that army staff and housekeepers alike understand the nature of the evolving relationship, exacerbated by the continued absence of Colonel Morgan.
In a love triangle such as this, the denouement can only take viewers so many places. What matters then, depends on the quality of the narrative and sufficient empathy for the characters. Happily, with such superb casting, the audience will readily identify with the plight of each individual wandering about the increasingly cozy residence.
“The Aftermath” constitutes a fresh take on a familiar theme. The film offers a solid historical romance, peppered with detail about post-World War II and its impact on people from both sides. Excellent production design elements combine with confident direction by James Kent, resulting in a satisfying and enjoyable movie-going experience.
In theaters Friday, March 29th
