World War II dramas have been having a moment this year, with hits like Pressure and the documentary series World War II with Tom Hanks dominating charts. But one lesser-known gem from a decade ago is quietly slipping away from streaming. Alone in Berlin, starring Brendan Gleeson and Emma Thompson, is leaving Paramount+ on July 12, 2026—and it's worth a watch before it disappears.
The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2016 and tells the true story of a German couple who risked everything to protest the Nazi regime after their son was killed in the war. Gleeson and Thompson deliver powerful performances as Otto and Elise Hampel, whose quiet acts of defiance—leaving postcards condemning Hitler across Berlin—became a symbol of resistance. Directed by Vincent Perez, the movie also features Daniel Brühl in a key supporting role.
Critics were divided on Alone in Berlin, which holds a 58% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Some called it "overlong" and "melodramatic," while the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw praised it as "well-carpentered." Regardless, the film offers a compelling, human-scale look at courage under tyranny—a stark contrast to the big-budget bombast of many WWII epics.
For fans of Gleeson, this is a chance to see the actor in a more somber role than his recent turn as the villain in Prime Video's Spider-Noir. Thompson, meanwhile, has been charming audiences in the sleeper hit The Sheep Detectives, which quietly grossed $125 million worldwide. Both actors bring gravitas to this historical drama.
If you're looking for more WWII content, Pressure—starring Brendan Fraser and Andrew Scott—has been a surprise box office success, grossing $15 million domestically and outperforming last year's Nuremberg with Russell Crowe. And World War II with Tom Hanks remains the top series on iTunes, offering an exhaustive 20-episode deep dive into the conflict.
But Alone in Berlin offers something different: a intimate, character-driven story that resonates today. It's a reminder that resistance often starts small—with a single voice, a single postcard, a single act of defiance.
Don't wait too long to stream it. After July 12, this forgotten WWII epic will be gone from Paramount+—and who knows when it'll return? For more streaming updates, check out our coverage of Denzel Washington's Oscar-winning 'Fences' finally streaming on Paramount+ and Skyler Gisondo's 'Vacation' becoming a streaming sensation.
