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Keira Knightley
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Keira Knightley loves her period dramas, and The Aftermath, which airs on HBO tonight at 8 p.m. ET, is Knightley’s latest.
Based on the 2013 book by author Rhidian Brook, the story takes place in Germany, 1945, aka the messy, chaotic time that followed the end of World War II. Knightley stars as Rachael Morgan, a British mother grieving her late son who died via German bombers. Her husband, played by Jason Clarke, is a British colonel tasked with helping to rebuild the tattered city of Berlin. The couple is placed in the house of a German architect named Stefan Lubert (Alexander Skarsgård), and his teenage daughter, Freda (Flora Thiemann).
At first, Rachael does not like this living arrangement. She blames Germans for the death of her son and doesn’t want to be housed by one. But Rachael and Stefan have something in common: They are both grieving. Stefan lost his wife thanks to Allied bombing The two bond, and fall in love. That’s right: This is not just Keira Knightley in a period drama, this is Keira Knightley in a steamy, sexy period drama. With Alexander Skarsgård! Classic!
Look, no offense to Jason Clarke, an Australian actor who did a great job as Ted Kennedy in Chappaquiddick, but I’m not sure what he expected when he left his tall, absurdly wife with a tall, absurdly attractive German hunk. Tall attractive people always have sex! Especially when they’re played by Keira Knightley and Alexander Skarsgård! That is the law of Hollywood!
Anyways, the film—adapted by screenwriters Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse and director James Kent (Testament of Youth)—didn’t get particularly good reviews. It currently sits at a 27 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the review aggregation website. But if you love Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice, Pirates of the Carribean, The Duchess, and all those good period romances, you’ll probably enjoy watching The Aftermath on HBO. Sure, it will be exactly what you expect it to be, but what’s wrong with that?
