The ‘must-watch’ war series with a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
Joe Cole and Bel Powley star in this gripping war drama.
Joe Cole and Bel Powley in the war drama (Image: ohn Street Productions/Midwest Livestock/Keshet Studios/National Geographic Studios/ABC Signature)
Fans of historical dramas may not have heard of this hidden gem starring Peaky Blinders star Joe Cole and newly announced Harry Potter actor Bel Powley. The little-known series has a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
A Small Light is a biographical war drama miniseries about Miep Gies, who was a secretary who helped her Jewish employer, Otto Frank, his family (including Anne Frank), and other Jewish refugees to go into hiding after the Germans invaded the Netherlands during the Second World War. The series was created by Joan Rater and Tony Phelan, and it stars Liev Schreiber, Amira Casar, Billie Boullet, and Ashley Brooke, alongside Powley and Cole.
Bel Powley in A Small Light (2023) (Image: John Street Productions/Midwest Livestock/Keshet Studios/National Geographic Studios/ABC Signature)
The series synopsis reads: “A Small Light follows Miep Gies (played by Bel Powley), who risked her life as a Dutch secretary to help hide the family of Otto Frank—including his daughter Anne Frank—and other Jewish refugees from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II.
“The series explores her efforts to protect them in secret, the dangers she and her husband Jan faced, and how their ‘small light’ of resistance offered hope in dark times.”
A Small Light has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics’ consensus states: “Bel Powley’s arresting performance burns bright in A Small Light, a sensitive portrait of heroism in the face of all-encompassing tragedy.”
One critic said: “Through earnest, un-preachy writing, formidable acting, and relentless pacing, A Small Light has cemented itself as a must-watch show.”
A Small Light is available to stream on Disney and U (Image: John Street Productions/Midwest Livestock/Keshet Studios/National Geographic Studios/ABC Signature)
Another said: “A Small Light towers as a series. It also reminds us we can accomplish so much if we just take a step to stop those who bully others. The lesson is just as important now as it was more than 80 years ago.”
“Bel Powley delivers a fiercely layered performance as Miep Gies. What makes A Small Light stand out is the way that it makes the true story so accessible and relatable,” another critic said.
“Excellent performances bring emotional depth and authenticity to the show; Miep (Bel Powley) draws the viewer in with her quick humor, frank self-assessments, and willingness to always do what needs to be done,” a fourth added.
A Small Light is available to stream on Disney+ and U.
SOURCE: EXPRESS