THE KING'S SPEECH (2010)

Country: U.K. / Australia

Genre(s): Drama

Director: Tom Hooper

Cast: Colin Firth / Geoffrey Rush / Helena Bonham Carter

Plot

Burdened with an unexpected kingship and the threat of war, King George VI works with an unorthodox speech therapist to cure him of his stuttering and insecurity.

What I Liked

“The King’s Speech” is constructed with undeniable quality.  A gorgeous-looking period piece that benefits from the true drama of history and a vulnerable hero, the film hits all the right marks to entertain and move an audience.

That vulnerable hero is Prince Albert (soon to be King George VI) portrayed in a remarkable performance by Colin Firth.  Firth takes a King who, in real life, was always stiff, serious, and reserved in public appearances and fleshes him out as a caring, likeable chap who is nonetheless burdened with an embarrassing stammer, an overwhelming sense of duty, and an explosive temper.  Thus this man born to privilege, wealth, and status is somehow made an endearing underdog as much by Firth’s performance as by the story itself.  We root for “Bertie” (as he is affectionately called by Geoffrey Rush’s Dr. Logue) not because he is a royal, but because Firth has actually made him relatable as a man trying to find himself.

Amid all of the historic events and personal struggle are moments of tenderness and humor that also help humanize the King.  Most of these occur in the development of his relationship with Dr. Logue, an eccentric but personable speech therapist played by Rush with a soulfulness to match Firth’s.  One can’t help but delight at watching the King of England let loose, bellowing, dancing, and goofing off with the future Queen Mother joining in.

What I Didn’t Like

So far as I can tell, “The King’s Speech” is flawless.  It does and has everything it is supposed to in order to appeal to the widest audience possible, which may actually be its only weakness.  For all its magnificence and ability to put a lump in your throat, the movie is still rather formulaic.  Put simply, this is a moving story of a wonderful friendship set against a beautiful backdrop, which is all most (including this viewer) will want from it.  Yet never once does “The King’s Speech” challenge its audience to think differently about the world, themselves, or life in general.  This is a movie that caters to its audience by treading well-charted territory rather than breaking any new ground in filmmaking.  That said, not every movie needs to be an artistic breakthrough and there is something to be said for filmmakers who forgo their own egos in order to let the story tell itself.  “The King’s Speech” is a terrific movie in which anyone can find something to like, and that’s not easy to do.

Most Memorable Scene

The film opens with Prince Albert having to give a speech to a stadium full of people.  His anxiety gets in the way and he stutters almost from the start.  While the true Albert was able to deliver the speech slightly better than this, in the film the scene is painful to watch.  Everyone around is embarrassed for Albert as he is forced to endure this most public of humiliations.  Thanksfully for the movie-going audience, the scene is eventually cut short, but not before the point is driven home of just how bad Albert has it and how important it is he overcome his stammer.  In this remarkably effective opening we are immediately emotionally invested in the character and are drawn into his struggle.

My Rating: 4 out of 5