Based on a true story, after Raymond Foxall's nonfiction book 'Amateur Commandos,' "Two Men Went to War" tells about the weird real-life incident (apparently mostly real- things have been inevitably changed) of two hapless wanna-be heroes during WW2 who become bored with the roles assigned to them by the military and take matters into their own hands.
Kenneth Cranham and Leo Bill play Peter King and Leslie Cuthbertson, two very different people with questionable talent. Peter (Cranham) is an aging soldier awarded a medal for bravery in the past who inexplicably recruits Leslie (Bill,) a scarily inept dentist with dreams of heroism and a minimal supply of common sense. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't let the guy within three feet of my teeth, let alone a hand grenade.
Both men leave their posts and steal a boat, heading for Germany. Their reasoning- with nobody to push them around and a bag of explosives, they'll deal with the Nazis alone. Peter is straight-faced and completely dedicated to his cause, while Leslie treats the situation with the detached amusement of a new video game, stopping every now and again to flirt with a sweet British girl, eat everything he comes into contact with, and argue with his newfound partner.
After this, what unfolds is both improbable and very interesting. After all the soldiers who died during World War II, the fact that these two men, who deserted and planned to go at it alone, survived, is bizarre. Probably Peter was a big factor in the fact that they didn't end up dead, although it was his idea to leave with a young, incompetent dentist in the first place.
Good premise doesn't have quite enough humor to totally sustain it, but is entertaining throughout, with interesting characters and situations. It's the kind of film that leaves you asking "Did they really do that?" and "Was Leslie actually that clueless?" and curious about the whereabouts of a copy of Foxall's book, for back up details. On the downside, the emotional moments with the two men bonding were a bit forced, and the duration of the film was disappointingly long.
Looking at the reviews of "Two Men Went to War," there seemed to be general consensus. Few people loved it, few people hated it. That pretty much sums it up- it's a perfectly likable film, worth renting but not providing anything jaw-droppingly incredible. It was rarely hilarious, but hardly ever boring, enough so that it gives the viewer an interest in the actual story (Rated PG.)
Kenneth Cranham and Leo Bill play Peter King and Leslie Cuthbertson, two very different people with questionable talent. Peter (Cranham) is an aging soldier awarded a medal for bravery in the past who inexplicably recruits Leslie (Bill,) a scarily inept dentist with dreams of heroism and a minimal supply of common sense. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't let the guy within three feet of my teeth, let alone a hand grenade.
Both men leave their posts and steal a boat, heading for Germany. Their reasoning- with nobody to push them around and a bag of explosives, they'll deal with the Nazis alone. Peter is straight-faced and completely dedicated to his cause, while Leslie treats the situation with the detached amusement of a new video game, stopping every now and again to flirt with a sweet British girl, eat everything he comes into contact with, and argue with his newfound partner.
After this, what unfolds is both improbable and very interesting. After all the soldiers who died during World War II, the fact that these two men, who deserted and planned to go at it alone, survived, is bizarre. Probably Peter was a big factor in the fact that they didn't end up dead, although it was his idea to leave with a young, incompetent dentist in the first place.
Good premise doesn't have quite enough humor to totally sustain it, but is entertaining throughout, with interesting characters and situations. It's the kind of film that leaves you asking "Did they really do that?" and "Was Leslie actually that clueless?" and curious about the whereabouts of a copy of Foxall's book, for back up details. On the downside, the emotional moments with the two men bonding were a bit forced, and the duration of the film was disappointingly long.
Looking at the reviews of "Two Men Went to War," there seemed to be general consensus. Few people loved it, few people hated it. That pretty much sums it up- it's a perfectly likable film, worth renting but not providing anything jaw-droppingly incredible. It was rarely hilarious, but hardly ever boring, enough so that it gives the viewer an interest in the actual story (Rated PG.)
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