Well, well, well, who’d have thought it? After all the debate and chagrin about the very public execution of the UK Film Council, what may very well turn out to be its swan-song in terms of major releases, turns out to be one of the most complete and pleasurable cinematic experiences to come out of this country in many a long year.
The film follows the story of Colin Firth’s King George VI (our current Queen Elizabeth’s father) through the time leading up to the beginning of the Second World War. The victim of a major speech impediment since youth, George is suddenly and unwillingly thrust into the centre of the public eye by his brothers abdication, and turns to an acclaimed but eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), to help him guide his country through a period of scandal and conflict.
Whilst The King’s Speech has wisely sold itself as a luscious period drama, it contains so many moments of genuine charm and laugh-out-loud comedy that forcing it to share a genre with more sombre fare like Atonement and Bright Star seems like something of a misnomer.
Lets get this out the way first as by this point word of mouth has already done more than any review can achieve and state that this movie is all about Colin Firth. It seems strange looking back at his days as an offbeat rom-com staple, since the man has, very quietly and without anyone really noticing, become the finest British actor of his generation. His George, despite his astronomically high-status, is rich with humanity and vulnerability, a contrast with his very middle-class but infinitely more detached turn in last year’s A Single Man. Every facial tick and the delivery of every syllable is considered and precise, like a intricate mosaic that leaves the viewer completely at his mercy. A better individual performance you will not see this year, perhaps even this decade.
That is not to say we aren’t spoiled by a deluge of supporting talent. Geoffrey Rush provides a manic and confident counterpoint to Firth’s s-s-stuttering and awkward prince, and the chemistry between the two is genuinely compelling. Helena Bonham Carter is stupendous as George’s wife, Elizabeth, demonstrating that she can stretch herself further than the kooky Tim Burton projects that have dominated her recent past. Backed up by veterans Timothy Spall, Michael Gambon and Derrick Jacobi, there’s no danger of being let down on the performance side of things.
In terms of cinematic execution, director Tom Hooper (who found similar biopic success with 2009’s The Damned United) has played a difficult balancing act and come up trumps. The scenery and costumes are lavish and beautiful, but at no point does it threaten to become overindulgent. The audience is never made to feel like they are intruding on the lives of the aristocracy, meaning that despite their surroundings, the characters could be part of any family in crisis.
Where Hooper really succeeds is in pushing the relationship between Firth and Rush front and centre. The Abdication crisis, the onset of war with Germany, these major incidents in British history pale in comparison to the perfectly balanced human dynamic of student and teacher. Salt of the earth Australian wisdom meets that very special type of isolated upbringing that can only be found in Royal circles, turning the status of each man on its head and creating a twisted Pygmalion-esque scenario with delightful results.
Critics hate using words like “flawless” and “perfect”, but after taking in and considering this marvellous film, it’s very difficult to come up with any other definition. The King’s Speech is a phenomenal achievement that will leave you in no doubt that as far as British filmmaking goes, there’s life in the old dog yet.
Overall Verdict: Beautifully presented, wonderfully written and astonishingly performed. It’s a cliché but there really aren’t enough superlatives to describe how good this is. A triumph.
Reviewer: Alex Hall