During times of great difficulty, music can lift our spirits. Pouring ourselves into creative outlets can find a distraction and a sense of comfort during difficult periods. That’s an idea that is explored in the new film The Choral, which comes out in limited release this Christmas.

The film focuses on a small town in England that is committed to putting on a performance from the town choral. It’s the midst of war, with many struggling or about to depart, but the music brings them together. And it provides a sense of hope.

The film is set in 1916, during the midst of World War I. England is in the thick of the fight, with many young men at the front. Others living in the town of Ramsden in Yorkshire are preparing to ship out to the front. The rest of the town, on edge, is looking forward to the performance of the town choral. But when their choirmaster joins the army, it throws plans into flux.

In his stead, the board decide to appoint Dr. Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes) as choirmaster. This comes despite the persistent rumors about his lifestyle and questions about his connections to Germany, with whom England is engaged in a brutal war. But it’s Guthrie’s talent and vision that draw them to offer him the post.

In turn, Guthrie sets about recruiting new voices to improve the choral. He also challenges the group with a new musical number, “The Dream of Gerontius.” He offers a bold, new take that gives the town a chance to reflect and heal from the costly war.

We have seen these kind of stories before. While this has all the trappings of a real story of the period, instead it’s a fictional story, set in a fictional town. But the ideas and the grief of the period, along with the healing power of music, all feel very real. That makes for a compelling addition to the Christimas cinematic landscape.

Director Nicholas Hytner does a nice jog of building the world and drawing you into the action of the plot and these characters. It has a beautiful look, and the blending of the musical numbers works quite well. The film moves at a nice pace and captures the mood and story well.

I also enjoyed Fiennes in the lead role. He does a nice job of inhabiting this character and serving as the focal point for the story. The rest of the cast is fine, though no performances or characters stand out.

In the end, this is an engaging watch and a decent period piece. There are some good emotional moments and a beautiful style to the production. It feels similar to stories of the era we’ve seen before, but it’s a satisfying watch. It doesn’t feel special or stand out, but it will make for a nice viewing option with family this holiday season.

The Choral opens in limited release on Christmas Day.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.