It's a rare occurrence that a movie lives right up to the reviews when it is universally praised. The King's Speech is one of those films.
The film tells the story, which I wasn't aware of, of King George VI (Colin Firth) who is the father of our current Queen and whose rise to the throne was both controversial and stunning.
George, known as Bertie to the family, stutters badly and can't sustain momentum in speech long enough to perform any royal duties without severe embarrassment.
Out of frustration he tries a number of doctors and speech therapists but is unable to overcome his problem.
When Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) comes across an unorthodox Australian therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) things appear to be looking up for George but it's not quite as simple as that.
The chemistry between the lead actors is amazing, their performances are faultless, there is humour and tension and you really feel like they are fully rounded characters. Logue encourages George to be more open and to face whatever it is that is holding him back, that is preventing him from speaking correctly - it emerges that he started stuttering at age five.
Firth is headed for an Oscar here, Rush was again magnificent in the supporting role and Carter was utterly regal, which is a departure for her and I had to question whether it was actually her a few times.
True stories can be hit and miss as far as pulling off not only the era but making the characters appear real. The King's Speech has nailed it in every aspect.
The script is outstanding, as mentioned the performances are spot on (including Guy Pearce) and you'll struggle to see a better film this year. If I do see a better one we could be headed for a first perfect score.
This gets a 9 out of 10 and if I saw it a week or so earlier it would have been the number one film of 2010. However, it has set the bar very high for 2011. An absolute must-see.
The film tells the story, which I wasn't aware of, of King George VI (Colin Firth) who is the father of our current Queen and whose rise to the throne was both controversial and stunning.
George, known as Bertie to the family, stutters badly and can't sustain momentum in speech long enough to perform any royal duties without severe embarrassment.
Out of frustration he tries a number of doctors and speech therapists but is unable to overcome his problem.
When Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) comes across an unorthodox Australian therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) things appear to be looking up for George but it's not quite as simple as that.
The chemistry between the lead actors is amazing, their performances are faultless, there is humour and tension and you really feel like they are fully rounded characters. Logue encourages George to be more open and to face whatever it is that is holding him back, that is preventing him from speaking correctly - it emerges that he started stuttering at age five.
Firth is headed for an Oscar here, Rush was again magnificent in the supporting role and Carter was utterly regal, which is a departure for her and I had to question whether it was actually her a few times.
True stories can be hit and miss as far as pulling off not only the era but making the characters appear real. The King's Speech has nailed it in every aspect.
The script is outstanding, as mentioned the performances are spot on (including Guy Pearce) and you'll struggle to see a better film this year. If I do see a better one we could be headed for a first perfect score.
This gets a 9 out of 10 and if I saw it a week or so earlier it would have been the number one film of 2010. However, it has set the bar very high for 2011. An absolute must-see.
No comments:
Post a Comment