The Exception

If you want romantic drama that respects your intelligence, The Exception is available in the US on Cinemax Amazon Channel and Cinemax Apple TV Channel right now. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. With 470 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Lily James is the anchor, and the chemistry with the rest of the cast carries every scene. Put it on tonight on Cinemax Amazon Channel and see for yourself.

The Exception is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The Exception earns its romantic beats rather than assuming them — a rarer quality than it sounds. Nothing is as it seems in this riveting World War 2 thriller as a wary soldier goes to investigate a mysterious German monarch at his secluded mansion, leading him into a web of deceit and a dangerous love affair with a local Jewish woman. Lily James and Jai Courtney lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2017. What makes The Exception work is that the leads feel like people first, a couple second. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

The Exception is the kind of thing you watch without apology. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. The chemistry Lily James brings to it is the engine that drives everything. A rarer quality than it sounds — earning the romantic beats rather than assuming them.