The King's Speech








Director - Tom Hooper

Genre - Biography/Drama


Colin Firth finally finds a meaty role he can chew on and boy, did he take a big bite! He gave it his all and we feel his win at the Oscar was truly deserving. Based on the real story of King George VI who hires a speech therapist in a last ditch attempt to cure him of his speech impediment, this picture owes its success not only to Tom Hooper's understated yet controlled direction (Hooper took home Best Director) but also Firth's spectacularly regal performance. Geoffrey Rush provided solid support of course, but it is Firth whom your heart goes out to when as the king his clumsy stammers threaten to make a mockery of his reign. It is also Firth's King George that we root for when he tries to overcome what for commoners may be a trivial obstacle, but could mean the end of the monarchy for him. Faced with such an enormous undertaking, he is further tested when Britain faces imminent war. It is easy to make light of a person's stutter as it is to overlook this deceptively unassuming film. Thankfully, the Academy had fittingly bestowed upon it a Best Picture win, ensuring its rightful place on the throne.

5 STARS!

All about The King's Speech

Comments

Shubhajit said…
Well, King's Speech wasn't a 5-star movie for me. In fact I'd liked the other movie on royalty that had released a few years back, viz. Queen, more.

Nonetheless, there's no doubting the fact that performances of both Colin Firth & Geoffrey Rush were splendid in it.

Very well written as usual!!!
Hey buddy! We were spellbound by Colin Firth's acting and Tom Hooper's understated but effectively powerful direction. Both actor and director were instrumental in turning this simple story of a royal stammerer into a fascinatingly inspirational guide on how to overcome fear and assume your position in the world. With this in mind, giving it 5 Stars is apt and deservingly so.

Most movies teach us nothing about ourselves. Great movies impart upon us an insightful look into the human soul. Of course, that is a one-sided assessment on our part and we know you have your own selection process for 5 Star movies. Nevertheless, we're honored to have a well received reviewer such as yourself grace our space. :)
Castor said…
I just saw this last week and am about to see it again tonight! It's indeed a masterfully crafted drama and both Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush really nail their characters.
Film Conqueror said…
I also didn't feel the love from King's Speech-- at least not on the scale that everyone else did. The hype was so loud that I was expecting to be blown away and I left wondering if this was some sort of joke...not that it wasn't a good movie. It just wasn't spectacular, in my opinion (127 Hours is where it's at).
Your writing style is really cool though...I like how concise it is, and how I don't have to comb through eight paragraphs to figure out what you really think :)
Castor - That's good to hear. A good film will withstand repeated viewings and we think 'The King's Speech' will still enthrall us all for years to come. Thank you for dropping in.

Film Conqueror - You're too kind. We're glad you like our writing style. 'King's Speech' we agree isn't a one in a decade kind of movie. It is simple and unfancy. But sometimes that is exactly what we're looking for. The importance of the story, the weight of the consequences are determined by the audience. If you think you can see no significance in the story, then it ceases to be special. But if you can catch a little of yourself in the portrayal of the King, we can tell you this can be a very enriching experience. In a way, both the King and Ralston went through great obstacles. Ralston's torment was of a physical kind whereas the king had a more mentally themed torture.
Matt S. said…
Great review! I loved this film as well. Firth's performance was masterful, one of the best, if not the best I have ever experienced in theaters. I would take it way before Ledger's performance in the Dark Knight.
The acting is indeed sublime and we look forward to seeing more of Firth in other challenging movies. We would like, for instance, to see him in the role of a villain or simply an untrustworthy cad. His choice of roles so far are of the goody two shoes type, the man women would bring home to show mummy but don't necessary want to make hot sex with. He needs to get the kind of roles Jude Law gets, to earn that dangerous edge so that there is some variety in his acting. Hopefully, his Oscar win will help him attain those roles and keep him in the business for years to come. Thank you for taking the time to write in Matt.