Helen Mirren gives a royal performance in The Queen, an inside look at Britain's first family. I willingly admit that to this critic, I have absolutely no interest in Britain's royalty. Still, for whatever reason, I watched this DVD.
The Queen takes a behind the scenes look at the royal response to Princess Diana's death. The crux of the matter was that the Princess, recently divorced from Prince Charles was no longer part of the royal family. The Queen decides that she will not do anything officially, or make a statement. In the middle of this is a newly elected Prime Minister, Tony Blair played by Michael Sheen, who has an uncanny pulse on the British people and some educational discussions with the Queen. This all culminates in a reluctant, and somewhat forced response of the royal family to Princess Diana's death.I enjoyed The Queen very much. The first reason for this is that Helen Mirren's performance is outstanding. She has the mannerisms and speech of the Queen down that shows the serious study of her subject has paid off in her acting craft. The other reason is that the settings are recreated with an attention to fine detail. Interspersed within the movie are the actual news clips of the events that contribute to the realism as well.
I recommend The Queen to anyone who enjoys watching a well made movie drama. Even with no interest in the royal family, I know I would watch this film again, something I rarely do.
Overall Grade: A-
1 comment:
I enjoyed the film, and Mirren's performance, but disagree on your last statement. It's quite likely I will never watch this again - perhaps due to the subject matter or perhaps due to the presentation (almost newslike at times). Either way, if it pops up on HBO, the channel will probably be changed.
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