TIFF 2025: The Choral Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

It is World War I, and as the film begins, two 17-year-olds, too young to be conscripted by the war, are seen delivering letters to women who’ve lost husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers. There’s a naivety to them, that they have no idea the intensity of the war, how dire the situation is yet as they joke around about making a move on a grieving widow. However, soon, they are convinced to join the local town choral, headed by Dr. Guthrie (Fiennes) after their previous choir master is conscripted by the war. People are hesitant about Dr. Guthrie due to his previous residency in Germany and his particular lifestyle. Stern and firm, he clearly hosts a passion for the arts and this piece that he’s doing. 

When it comes to The Choral and its plot, it is not difficult to imagine how it would ultimately play out. It is merely another story of an outside figure coming into the hesitant community for a specific task, only for them to soon warm up, and after facing some form of adversity, it somehow all works out. That being said, this fact does not make it a bad film by any means, however, one can’t help but have wished it took more risks, rather than play is safe. More depth would definitely have helped, in terms of the choral, and what they represented during those times. Meanwhile, the film would have also benefitted from a deeper exploration of some of the other sides of the war, such as the theme of grief. Attempting to tackle other themes, like gender and sexuality, there simply isn’t enough here to make an impression. 

Aside from its shallow script, and myriad interesting characters, the overwhelming number of characters makes it challenging for audiences to connect with any of them. Though the idea of an ensemble piece fits within the need to highlight the sense of community of the town, the lack of a clear focus prevents the characters from ever sticking out. Instead, the film tries to do too much with its characters, featuring multiple storylines from the characters alongside the main plot. By the end, it overstays its runtime and the story’s eventual payoff is executed in an underwhelming and abrupt way that will undoubtedly be a point of contention for audiences who have invested so much to that point.

In the end, while The Choral isn’t a bad film by any means, Fiennes certainly makes the most out of a flat script and unfortunately his character, like much of the others, aren’t afforded much depth. Similarly, its themes are never explored in depth, themes of community in the times of war are a given for this subgenre, but other potential explorations into themes like gender and sexuality were left mostly unexplored and merely hinted at. However, in spite of its issues, still provides audiences with just enough interesting material in showcasing the preparation of the choral itself, which is truly beautiful to watch, and surrounded by charismatic characters. Though thin, there is enough entertainment here to get by.

still courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

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Jasmine Graham