First posted Good Life Movie Reviews www.goodlifemoviereviews.com
A guest film review by Ken Wilson. www.mediamaestro57.com
The King’s Speech is real filmmaking. 4 Stars. Award-winning performances. This film is at once laugh-out-loud funny and yet very moving. This story refreshingly portrays the English monarchy as actual people as opposed to animatronic mannequins, buffoons or caricatures.
Colin Firth’s acting is superb and absorbing from the opening scene (which is literally painful to watch) to the final. Mr. Firth portrays King George the VI (father to the current queen of England) confronting and surmounting his darkest fears, memories and insecurities—manifested as a debilitating stammer—so he can become the unwavering beacon the English people need in their darkest hour.
And no less of a performance is given by the multi-award winning Australian actor Geoffrey Rush who is at once whimsical, stubborn, perceptive, immovable and loyal in his portrayal of Lionel Louge, an Australian speech therapist with unorthodox yet undeniably effective methodologies.
Helena Bonham Carter is luminescent and exquisite. She portrays a woman every inch the English aristocrat (later to become the beloved Queen Mother to the current Queen) as well as a loving and supportive wife and mother.
The supporting cast (a who’s who of British actors) is delightful and spot on no matter how small the role. Several of the supporting cast had major roles in the Harry Potter movies. The subplot will be recognized by many as a well-known story of abdication.
I have not enjoyed a film this much in years. One of the funniest scenes (trust me, it’s true) must set a new record for the use of the s-word and the f-word—as part of a string of epithets born of deep-seeded frustration—in the space of sixty seconds.
Truly, do yourself a favor. See this film. King’s Speech Website
[UPDATE] Colin Firth won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a drama for his portrayal of King George the VI.
