I feel the need to see some of the Oscar-nominated films before the awards show, so tonight I saw The King's Speech starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham-Carter et al. I've always been a huge fan of British movies, whether it's a drama, comedy, love story or thriller. It must be a result of my English/Scottish/Irish/Welsh heritage and the fact that my aunt & cousin have lived in England all my life and I sometimes wish I were British and lived there as well. Or it could be because I grew up reading Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters' novels and had the common wish of wanting to marry an Englishman (though nowadays any foreigner with an accent will do). Regardless of where the obsession started, sit me down in front of any British film with an excellent ensemble cast (which most of them are anyway) and I'm a happy camper.
This was a beautifully directed and acted movie. You were really rooting for Bertie to overcome his speech impediment and the crowd in the movie theater clapped as he was giving his first official speech as monarch right after Great Britain had declared war with Germany in WWII. You truly felt for this character who had been bullied by both his father & elder brother and who was clearly reluctant to take the throne after his brother's abdication. Though, as with most films based on historic characters and events, I'm sure there were some liberties taken to increase dramatic effects. The cast of characters was superb as well - Colin Firth has always been an A+ actor in my book and it was a treat to see Geoffrey Rush play a slightly quirky & humorous character. Helena Bonham-Carter was serenely sublime as Bertie's wife; she had such a quiet but strong presence on screen.
But don't take my word on anything - go see it for yourself.
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| Kelly's Rating |
