The Exception

In 1940 an officer is sent to the house in the Netherlands where the exiled former German emperor lives. His job is security and finding out whether there is a spy in the household. While running the espionage line the film gives its real attention elsewhere: a man past eighty still believing he will be called back, and how those around him endure it. A love story is built too, and the tension comes from the two colliding. David Leveaux directed, having come from the theatre. Christopher Plummer plays the emperor, with Lily James and Jai Courtney. It is adapted from a novel and the events are invented. Who it's for: those who like period espionage drama. Who it's not for: viewers seeking historical accuracy; the main plot is fiction.