The Queen
Monday, 18 Sep 2006 17:32
Helen Mirren yet again steals the show as Queen Elizabeth II
Directed by Stephen Frears, out now at cinemas, starring Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Sylvia Syms and Alex Jennings running time 101 minutes.
In a nutshell…
Hilarious, moving, subtle, witty and very, very British.
What's it all about?
The events that followed in the immediate aftermath of Diana's death are examined from within the two institutions facing the glare of national attention: Downing Street and the Monarchy.
The Queen and Tony Blair are the leading figures, portrayed as two individuals that form an understanding despite their massive differences in style and understanding.
Although a historical atmosphere pervades, there is no pedagogy about this satirical script. The characterisations are less impersonations than parody, which allows the audience to be soaked into the reality of the film, which joins a growing British aptitude for high-quality current affairs satire.
Who's in it?
Helen Mirren has already won an award for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for her astonishingly captivating portrayal of the Queen. She manages to make the porcelain-like facade of the Queen appear to be on one hand defence strategy and yet also a badge of honour, suddenly making the audience wonder why they had never understood her before.
Although Martin Sheen's Tony Blair steals many of the most hilarious moments in the film, particularly his brilliantly observed first frame, it is Mirren that steals every frame she appears in, each sequence we watch and – by the end – the entire movie.
As an example…
The film strikes a very contemporary chord with lines such as:
Aide: "Tony, it's Gordon [on the phone]"
Tony: "Tell him to hang on."
Alongside this, there is more affectionate comedy during moments such as the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's bedtime: "Move over cabbage," he says.
Likelihood of a trip to the Oscars
Very high. The one downside is probably its overwhelming Britishness, which may mean less popularity with critics in the US than it has already had over here. There are many fine performances and the politics are probably sufficiently subtle not to be too much of a worry for academy members.
What the others say
"Fascinating, funny, touching, provocative, wicked and to the point… an excellent film" – Empire.
"The best film of the year" – Daily Mail.
"The acting in this film is outstanding" – Sunday Times.
So is it any good?
Yes, yes and yes again.
There were moments when the audience is surprised at the spin given. Few would have anticipated a portrayal of the Queen as reliant on Blair for the monarchy's survival following Diana's death. Also unexpected is that the Queen herself is so singled out from the palace and her advisers as the most old-fashioned pea in the pod.
However, the writing itself - whatever the perspective – is utterly brilliant.
Surprises around every corner and a cast that all seem to have a twinkle in their eye makes this one of the best films for a long time. Although maybe there should have been a bit more of the corgis.
9/10
Kate Merriam
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