Mini-Movie Review: The King's Speech
If you're a history buff, an anglophile, or someone who really enjoys brilliant acting, you'll want to see The King's Speech. Colin Firth was amazing. He had to get Best Actor at the Oscars. The man had no equal.
Firth was sublime. He was so believable as the timid, self-conscious king that you couldn't help but mouth the words for him as he stammered his way through day to day conversations. That had to be one of the toughest roles any actor has ever been asked to play.
And Geoffrey Rush. My God. He cannot make a bad movie. The whole cast was impressive, but at its core, the movie belonged to Firth and Rush. You empathized completely with a man plagued by a disability that would crush a lesser soul. Colin Firth delivered such a stunning performance I will now watch him in anything. He's that good.
Here's the synopsis from the web site: After the death of his father King George V and the abdication of King Edward VIII, Bertie (Colin Firth) who suffers from a debilitating speech impediment, is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. With his country on the brink of war and in desperate need of a leader, his wife, Elizabeth, the future Queen Mother, arranges for her husband to see an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush).
Be forewarned that this is not an action movie. There are no explosions or chase scenes. It's a movie about subtlety and affliction and courage. The dialog is clever and witty. The characterizations are sharply drawn and the tension is palpable. It's a quiet film that examines character, peeling the layers from King George VI (and his family) like an onion.
I have a passion for people with bull dog determination, and both Bertie and Colin Firth delivered in spades.
I can highly recommend this movie. Have you seen it--or plan to? What did you think? Any favorite parts?
Comments
But I haven't seen the movie. It's on my to be seen list. :)
Shirley: I think my favorite scene was when Queen Elizabeth went to inquire about Lionel's services. :)
JK, Jennifer:
You will not be disappointed. I went with a friend rather than Greg because I think it would be too slow for him. (He likes explosions. lol) But it's truly inspiring.
Angelina: Our movie watching has declined a lot the past two years. But I'm glad I caught this one.
Angela: Oh! I loved him as Darcy. No one else has done that character as well as Firth.
Joanne: Definitely put this one on the list. You'll like this one.
Sarita: I'm normally kind of hard on movies, so you can tell how much I enjoyed this one. :) Glad to see you again, Sarita!
I'll probably have to wait until it's available on netflix
Rula: Everything they said was true. I didn't believe the hype at first. But it was a darn good movie.
Mike: :grin: Some of you Brits are darn cute, especially when wet.
Barbara: Not to be missed, especially if you're a Firth fan.
Robert: I loved all the scenes with Helena Bonham Carter. She was amazing in that role.
Krista: You're incorrigible! LOL. It took me a while to figure out your comment too. ;-)
Dru: Generally, I prefer action movies, but I kept hearing so much about this movie from people I trusted, I had to give it a try.
It was worth it.
Cate: Agh!! I loved RED! Loved it. But then it spoke my language. Old people with guns--and they're not afraid to use them. LOL. I tend toward action films, but every so often, a quiet film is nice.
Melissa: You might want to wait for your son to see it. There is a lot of cursing, but to be fair, it was necessary. It illustrated a very key element about the king's impediment.
I heard only today that the studios are thinking of releasing a version of this movie without the swear words, but I think that would be a great injustice. It needs the cursing. They're not said to be malicious or for titillation, but they were necessary.