The King’s Speech: Movie Review ~ Cool World

the kings speech la 11 15 10 The Kings Speech: Movie Review

There’s not much to say about this film — other than so far, this is the best screenplay, with the best performances in the best film of the year. That’s all! The best piece of advice I can give you is to go and see this film as soon as you possibly can. This film is the whole package, every part of it from the tiny details about driving through fog to the grand speeches given by a King declaring WWII to the necessary comedic swearing that helps the Kind overcome his stutter — everything in this film is perfectly executed. Colin Firth (read interview), who rightfully was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award for his role in A Single Man last year, is set to win that golden statue this year. Don’t let people tell you about this film, go and see it for yourself.

If you still need convincing, find out more about the film below…

Players:

Director: Tom Hooper
Writer: David Seidler (screenplay)
Actors: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter
Original Music by: Alexandre Deplat
Cinematography by: Danny Cohen

The Plot:

The King’s Speech tells the story of the man who became King George VI after his brother for the first time in history abdicated the thrown. Though his journey was not easy, he was a King unable to speak to his people due to a severe speech defect. In order to overcome his problem and deal with the matters at hand (a little thing called WWII) he calls upon the help of a rather unorthodox speech therapist named Lionel Logue. Through a set of unexpected techniques, and as a result of an unlikely friendship, the two are able to boldly lead the country through war.

The Good:

WWII in the Background: Very few films that take place during WWII can have Hitler play a supporting role to a speech impediment, AND have jokes about Hitler’s strong speech play so well. The film is able to balance the severity of the situation with a very honest and realistic perspective. At times they tread on some possibly dangerous ground, but because they handle the topic with such grace, what could be considered rude or offensive is actually quite interesting, important and even at times humorous.
Colin Firth: Not only does he have a stutter, a lisp, an accent different from his, he also has to sound like the real King himself who has a very distinct voice. Not only does Firth give an incredibly compelling emotional performance, but the way he physically transforms himself is beyond impressive. So far, Ryan Gosling might be able to give Firth a run for his money in Blue Valentine, but this is THE BEST performance I’ve seen this year. It’s extremely complex and since his character is a stoic King he has very little room to express himself. A slight grimace or a tonal shift in his voice has to speak volumes and luckily, due to his grasp of the character, it does. He should have won the Oscar last year for A Single Man – if he doesn’t win it this year for this film, I’m going to have to write a strongly worded letter to Mr. Oscar.
Empathy for the King: It’s hard to make people really side with a person they feel is so distant from them. This is one of the best representation of what a King really has to go through that has been put on the screen. It’s on par with The Queen with Helen Mirren. You are able to find empathy for the man beneath the crown and somehow relate to the pressures that he has to face.
Supporting Cast: Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter both give stellar performances that help to add to the films chemistry. Rush’s great timing and Carter’s endearing demeanor both help to round who King George VI is and more importantly the people who helped make him the great king he was.
The Score: This was a really beautiful, subtle yet powerful score that once again added to the grace of the film without ever distracting from what was taking place.

The Bad:

The Trailer: DON’T watch the trailer for this film. Trust me, this might be the best package you see all year – its got it all and the trailer ruins some of the best moments in the film.