'Aftermath': Alexander Skarsgard plays the "conflicted and guilt-ridden" German dealing with World War II
Director James Kent's 'Aftermath' might not have been what it had promised to be with its utterly boring portrayal of an era which is till date considered to be a significant turning point in human history. Based on the titular novel by Rhidian Brook, Fox Searchlight Pictures had acquired the film reportedly back in 2016, and the film was set to be directed by Kent from a screenplay written by Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse, with Ridley Scott handling production duties, under his Scott Free Productions banner. However, what continues to remain the most fascinating aspect of the movie is that it is the story of an unconventional hero.
Unlike most movies that have based their stories on World War II, such as 'The Pianist', 'Atonement', 'The Book Thief', and 'Dunkirk', 'Aftermath' has carefully chosen to tell the story of the side which was considered as the enemy. Starring Alexander Skarsgard as the handsome German widower, Stefan Lubert, 'Aftermath' focuses on the lives of those Germans who literally had to bear the consequences of the war without even being a part of it. Lubert's late wife came from a wealthy family, who were supporters of Nazis, and while it was that very family who helped Lubert purchase his palace-like home, Lubert himself was strictly against Hitler's policy.