Nicholas Hytner’s The Choral is an odd movie. Recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, the World War I period drama bills itself as a very particular kind of film, and in some ways it lives up to that early promise. And yet, the path it takes is a baffling one littered with missed opportunities and awkwardly staged scenes that ultimately undermine its whole message.

The Choral follows a singing group within a small English village during the height of the First World War. We’re swiftly introduced to the various personalities that make up the group, from the older men who lead it (played by Mark Addy, Roger Allam, Alun Armstrong and Ron Cook) to the newest members who come looking for girls to chat up (Nathan Hall and Oliver Briscombe). Their latest performance is hindered by their chorus master getting drafted, forcing them to turn to a newcomer.

That would be Ralph Fiennes’ Dr. Guthrie, a controversial figure because of his German sympathies and his particular preferences when it comes to companionship. The men are uneasy about letting him in, but Guthrie accepts their offer and presents the group with a new piece to work on: The Dream of Gerontius.

Ralph Fiennes’ Dr. Guthrie Is The Best Part Of The Choral — And There Isn’t Enough Of Him

From the moment he’s introduced, Guthrie is a fascinating, eccentric character. His casual German references scandalize everyone around him, and it’s clear he has a loved one he’s been parted from, though further details are never revealed. Fiennes plays him with a sly wit, his whole demeanor practically brimming with intelligence and a worldly nature one can only get from experiencing a number of profound things.

And yet, oddly, Guthrie practically disappears from the narrative as The Choral continues on. His function within the plot becomes only that of chorus master as he works on the production of The Dream of Gerontius and concocts new ways to connect it to the ongoing war. The younger characters take a greater focus, with very mixed results.

The threat of being drafted looms large, and by the film’s end, several boys end up boarding trains headed for the frontlines. Before that, though, we must contend with an unexpected love triangle and a few other awkward romantic subplots that struggle to make an impact since we don’t really know much about these characters. It doesn’t help that these are punctuated by awkward Sєxual encounters that feel decidedly at odds with the overall tone of the film.

The Choral is presented as an uplifting tale about people finding solace and hope in music during the darkest of times. There are flickers of that throughout, especially in the climactic performance of The Dream of Gerontius, but it’s suffocated by the sheer number of characters at play, and the odd disconnect between their individual arcs.

That final performance nearly saves the movie and is just as beautiful as it should be. Before it gets underway, Simon Russell Beale slips in as the piece’s composer, Edward Elgar, injecting some sudden conflict into the story that’s cleared away just as quickly.

Then, once the performance begins, it’s easy to forget all the messiness that got us there. Hytner takes great care in his staging, lighting the singers with a heavenly glow and capturing every subtle detail. This is the sequence that delivers the inspirational, moving story we were initially sold on, and every filmmaking element comes together to make it, well, sing.

However, that’s not where The Choral ends, since it then returns to its soapy, perplexing threads. We get very little resolution with Guthrie, and it ultimately concludes with a whimper rather than a triumphant note. It’s far from a poorly-constructed movie, but the tonal issues and refusal to invest in its strongest personalities make it a frustrating watch.

The Choral premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released in the United Kingdom on November 7.