“A handsomely mounted World War II-era romantic thriller, enlivened by vibrant performances and inspired by a little-known footnote to history, the story of a ruler who left but never went away.” – Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
“As he proves yet again as the aged Kaiser Wilhelm II in THE EXCEPTION, Christopher Plummer can put more shading into fewer syllables than any actor alive.” – David Edelstein, New York Magazine
“Elegant, well-acted and a good deal sexier than the material might suggest.” – Peter Debruge, Variety
A riveting World War II thriller that is filled with espionage and romance in equal measure, THE EXCEPTION follows German soldier Stefan Brandt (Jai Courtney) as he goes on a mission to investigate exiled German Monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II (Christopher Plummer). The Kaiser lives in a secluded mansion in The Netherlands, and as Germany is taking over Holland, the country’s authorities are concerned that Dutch spies may be watching the Kaiser. As Brandt begins to infiltrate the Kaiser’s life in search of clues, he finds himself drawn into an unexpected and passionate romance with Mieke (Lily James), one of the Kaiser’s maids whom Brandt soon discovers harbors a deep secret.