I realize that my review for The King’s Speech is coming a little bit late, and in all honesty it largely flew under my radar during the Holiday Movie Season, but once I read all the publications raving about the story and performances and saw all the accolades the film received at The Golden Globes and Screen Actor’s Guild Awards, I knew that there was no way I could let this critic favorite pass through my fingers before next week’s Academy Awards. Though the distribution for this film was anything but traditional, everything from acting to the direction to the writing of The King’s Speech was being widely regarded as phenomenal, and larger and larger audiences were responding. Needless to say, if I wanted to validly weigh-in on the results of Hollywood’s biggest night after it hits next week, I needed to form my own opinion of the film that was likely to get Colin Firth his first Oscar.
I walked into the theater fearing that my expectations for the film were too high, but as the end credits began to roll, I realized that not only were my expectations met, they were far exceeded…The King’s Speech is nothing short of brilliant. Despite the remarkably simple plot, director Tom Hooper uses a distinct visual style and pacing to deliver a truly engaging story, which is only further enhanced by an outstanding cast. As the embattled and newly crowned King George VI, Colin Firth brings a compelling empathy to his role, so that the audience truly feels his anxiety over the struggles he must face to emerge as a leader. Helena Bonham Carter departs from some of the more offbeat roles that American audiences have come to expect, while Geoffrey Rush reveals a humorous edge to his acting that has rarely been seen, but the result is a consistently strong performances delivered by the entire cast. Simple, inspiring, and thoroughly entertaining, The King’s Speech moves beyond the constraints of the historical drama genre and treats audiences to an unforgettable movie experience, a point that will only be reinforced after next week’s Oscar’s…without hesitating, do not miss this film.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
