A “must-see” World War 2 film you’ve probably never heard of is streaming now in the UK. Irena’s Vow (2023) dramatises the true story of Polish nurse Irena Gut Opdyke (Sophie Nélisse), who is forced to work as a housekeeper for a high-ranking Nazi officer (played by Dougray Scott) and risks her life to hide a group of Jews in his home.
It was directed by Louise Archambault and written by Dan Gordon, who had written the earlier Broadway play. The theatrical production was in turn based on Opdyke’s own 1999 book, “In My Hands”. Fans have flocked to review aggregator platforms like Rotten Tomatoes to pour praise on the film.
One wrote: “The main character is so well cast, she tells the whole story with her eyes alone. Dougray Scott plays it very well, hadn’t seen him since Mission Impossible 2!
“Overall, I can’t think of anyone who didn’t convince me. I wouldn’t cut any scene to make it shorter. Very gripping score as well.”
Another called it a “must-see”, writing that Nelisse “and the entire cast deliver phenomenal performances”.
“This movie is fraught with drama and suspense, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!”
A third said they cried their eyes out at the end, adding “wonderful ending indeed”.
One fan writing on Rotten Tomatoes, where the film has an 86% Tomatometer score, wrote: “Wow what a powerful, beautiful story. I’d never heard of this and I do so like that it was based on true events.
“It also had exceptional acting by all. Give it a look, I’m sure you’ll like it.” Another added: “Excellent true story, very well told by a superb cast!”
The film has an 18 certificate and contains strong violence, so viewer discretion is advised. You can find a more detailed breakdown of its content on the BBFC website.
Irena’s Vow was recently added to Netflix in the UK. It’s also available to buy or rent on other platforms.
