Brexit: The Uncivil War

Brexit: The Uncivil War

Year: 2019

Runtime: 93 mins

Language: English

Director: Toby Haynes

Echo Score: 65
DramaHistory

Political strategist Dominic Cummings orchestrates a groundbreaking and divisive campaign to sway British voters towards leaving the European Union. The film explores the strategies and tactics employed from 2015, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the events leading up to the historic referendum and its aftermath. It examines the methods used to shape public opinion and the impact of this pivotal moment in British history.

Tense
Bittersweet ending
Emotionally heavy
High intensity
Fast pacing
Complex story

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Brexit: The Uncivil War (2019)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Brexit: The Uncivil War (2019). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

2020, with flashbacks to 2015-2016

The narrative unfolds in 2020 during a public inquiry into the Brexit campaign, framing governance and accountability at the heart of the story. It includes flashbacks to 2015 when Vote Leave figures first pursue a data-driven strategy, culminating in the pivotal 23 June 2016 referendum. The film contrasts traditional campaigning with real-time data manipulation and digital targeting, showing how timing and messaging shape outcomes.

Location

London, United Kingdom

The action centers on a fictional public inquiry in London, with scenes in the inquiry room and campaign hubs across the city. The setting underscores the film's focus on regulation, accountability, and the fast-moving information landscape of modern politics. It frames how political power is exercised and scrutinized in a capital where campaigns are scrutinized as data-driven operations.

🏛️ Political setting 🗳️ Referendum context

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 at 01:00

Main Characters – Brexit: The Uncivil War (2019)

Meet the key characters of Brexit: The Uncivil War (2019), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Dominic Cummings (Benedict Cumberbatch)

A data-driven strategist who pivots from traditional campaigning to an algorithmic, database-driven approach. He seeks to maximize influence by controlling information flows and micro-targeting voters. His methods spark tensions with traditional campaigners and raise questions about accountability.

🧠 Data-driven 🎯 Strategy ⚖️ Ethics

Elizabeth Denham (Lucy Russell)

Leading the public inquiry, she questions how data and networks shaped the Brexit campaign. She represents regulatory oversight and accountability, navigating competing narratives to press for clarity and responsibility.

🕵️‍♀️ Investigation 🏛️ Regulation ⚖️ Accountability

Douglas Carswell (Simon Paisley Day)

A Vote Leave ally who offers Cummings a path to lead Vote Leave, advocating for autonomy from Westminster. He is pragmatic and wary of traditional campaigning, pushing for a faster, data-informed approach.

🤝 Alliance 🗳️ Campaigning

Matthew Elliott (John Heffernan)

A Vote Leave strategist who chairs the campaign and contemplates broader alliances. He clashes with Cummings over whether to pursue conventional or data-driven tactics, highlighting tensions within the Leave camp.

🤝 Alliance 🧭 Strategy

Nigel Farage (Paul Ryan)

Leader of Leave.EU and a focal point of internal camp dynamics. His populist stance and alliance tensions with data-driven methods shape the campaign's direction.

🗳️ Politics 🤝 Alliance

Arron Banks (Lee Boardman)

A financier behind Leave.EU who explores the potential of social media databases and data partnerships to sway voters.

💼 Finance 🤝 Alliance

Peter Mandelson (Mark Gatiss)

A senior strategist who participates in high-stakes discussions, representing Remain perspectives and shaping messaging in parallel power plays.

🎯 Strategy 🤝 Coalition

Craig Oliver (Rory Kinnear)

Remain strategist who maps out narratives focusing on economy and jobs, and who debates messaging against the data-driven approach.

🧭 Strategy 🗣️ Messaging

Zack Massingham (Kyle Soller)

A Canadian tech entrepreneur hired to build a sophisticated database, expanding the campaign's digital reach beyond traditional registers.

💡 Innovation 🌐 Digital

Robert Mercer (Aden Gillett)

A financier who supports data-driven political campaigns, leveraging resources to maximize reach and persuasion.

💼 Finance 🧠 Data

Michael Gove (Oliver Maltman)

Joined Vote Leave and participates in evaluating key promises, including budget figures and immigration, shaping the campaign's strategic direction.

🎯 Strategy 🗳️ Campaigning

Boris Johnson (Richard Goulding)

A high-profile figure who joins Vote Leave, bringing bold rhetoric and strategic positioning to the campaign messaging.

🗳️ Politics 🎯 Strategy

David Cameron (Self – archive footage)

The former Prime Minister coordinates with Remain strategists, guiding messaging decisions during pivotal moments and coordinating calls with other senior figures.

🗳️ Politics 🎯 Strategy

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 at 01:00

Major Themes – Brexit: The Uncivil War (2019)

Explore the central themes of Brexit: The Uncivil War (2019), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎯 Control

The film centers on the lure of centralized control, using data, networks, and real-time messaging to steer public opinion. Cummings pushes for autonomy over the campaign's narrative, attempting to run politics like a digital operation. The narrative questions whether such control improves outcomes or subverts democratic processes.

⚖️ Ethics

Data-driven campaigning raises questions about consent, manipulation, and accountability. A pivotal focus is the human cost of targeted messaging, including the tearful moment in a focus group and the murder of Jo Cox, which frames the consequences of campaign tactics. The film asks whether technology can or should shape political choices, and who bears responsibility when it does.

🌐 Digital Campaigning

The narrative highlights the speed, reach, and fragility of online strategies that outpace traditional campaigning tools. Databases, social media, and external data sources blur lines between official campaigns and third-party influence. The film argues that governance and ethical considerations must catch up with technological capabilities.

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 at 01:00

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Narrative Summary

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Brexit: The Uncivil War Summary

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Brexit: The Uncivil War Summary

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Brexit: The Uncivil War Timeline

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