| A still from The King's Speech  | Critic's Rating: **** Cast: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter Direction: Tom Hooper Duration: 1 hour 58 minutes Readers Rating: ****1/2 |
| More from The King's Speech |
 |
|
Serious inspirational drama which won four Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actor (Colin Firth), Best Director and Best Original Screenplay
Story: When Prince Albert (Colin Firth) was called upon to lead the British Empire which comprised almost a quarter of the world in the 1930s, he was unsure whether he could be able to play his role as King George VI. This was primarily due to his awkward stammer which prevented him from delivering the public speeches which were required of him in the changing world order.
Would he be able to give the most important public broadcast which would justify England's war against Germany? Would his unconventional speech therapist, the failed Australian actor, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) cure him of his disability before D-day?
Movie Review: The King's Speech deserves all the accolades it won at the Oscars. First, because it is a highly motivational tale of failure and achievement and the singular ability of man to overcome all his limitations with courage and grit. The journey of Prince Albert from a low-on-confidence, self-censorious and stammering B-B-Bertie to King George VI, a leader of the largest nation, is essentially a universal story of struggle and success. It holds many an aspirational lesson for any and everybody who wants to bridge the gap between Being and Nothingness. The King's relentless efforts to conquer his disability and his therapist's consistent motivation are the stuff great endeavours are made of.
But more than the message and the moral of this period fable, it is the performances that make it such an enthralling watch. Colin Firth's rendition of the King who was called upon to script history -- he declared war against Hitler -- is truly monumental. Firth's monarch may have greatness thrust upon him, but he is terribly human: full of frailties, insufficiencies and doubts. England believes I can speak for it, but I have no speech, he poignantly declares, desperately trying to master his stammer. More importantly, he flits between arrogance, rage, insecurity and sensitivity with great finesse and emerges as a warm husband, father, friend and leader. And yes, the all Brit monarch does use the F-word too. As therapy!
Standing up to him is Geoffrey Rush as the failed Australian actor who tries to use his talent as a speech therapist, even as he hopes for a comeback on stage. Geoffrey's Lionel is absolutely endearing, both as a brusque, no-nonsense `doctor' who believes in a democratic relationship with his patients (so what if they are royalty) and as a reliable friend who is for keeps. And between them, the two actors create some magical moments on screen as they share their highs and lows. Equally enticing is Helena Bonham Carter's delineation of the loving wife who stands by her husband, come what may.
The King's Speech may be a historical film, but for cine-buffs hungry for refined cinema, this one may go down as celluloid history: an uplifting document on the human spirit.
Story: When Prince Albert (Colin Firth) was called upon to lead the British Empire which comprised almost a quarter of the world in the 1930s, he was unsure whether he could be able to play his role as King George VI. This was primarily due to his awkward stammer which prevented him from delivering the public speeches which were required of him in the changing world order.
Would he be able to give the most important public broadcast which would justify England's war against Germany? Would his unconventional speech therapist, the failed Australian actor, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) cure him of his disability before D-day?
Movie Review: The King's Speech deserves all the accolades it won at the Oscars. First, because it is a highly motivational tale of failure and achievement and the singular ability of man to overcome all his limitations with courage and grit. The journey of Prince Albert from a low-on-confidence, self-censorious and stammering B-B-Bertie to King George VI, a leader of the largest nation, is essentially a universal story of struggle and success. It holds many an aspirational lesson for any and everybody who wants to bridge the gap between Being and Nothingness. The King's relentless efforts to conquer his disability and his therapist's consistent motivation are the stuff great endeavours are made of.
But more than the message and the moral of this period fable, it is the performances that make it such an enthralling watch. Colin Firth's rendition of the King who was called upon to script history -- he declared war against Hitler -- is truly monumental. Firth's monarch may have greatness thrust upon him, but he is terribly human: full of frailties, insufficiencies and doubts. England believes I can speak for it, but I have no speech, he poignantly declares, desperately trying to master his stammer. More importantly, he flits between arrogance, rage, insecurity and sensitivity with great finesse and emerges as a warm husband, father, friend and leader. And yes, the all Brit monarch does use the F-word too. As therapy!
Standing up to him is Geoffrey Rush as the failed Australian actor who tries to use his talent as a speech therapist, even as he hopes for a comeback on stage. Geoffrey's Lionel is absolutely endearing, both as a brusque, no-nonsense `doctor' who believes in a democratic relationship with his patients (so what if they are royalty) and as a reliable friend who is for keeps. And between them, the two actors create some magical moments on screen as they share their highs and lows. Equally enticing is Helena Bonham Carter's delineation of the loving wife who stands by her husband, come what may.
The King's Speech may be a historical film, but for cine-buffs hungry for refined cinema, this one may go down as celluloid history: an uplifting document on the human spirit.
No comments:
Post a Comment