The Queen
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Movie Reviews of The Queen
Movie Review: A Magnificent Production
Summary: 5 Stars
The Queen depicts The House of Windsor during one of its most tumultuous weeks: that which followed the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II does a magnificent job portraying the monarch's quandaries as she is faced with a challenge for which her forty five year long reign has not prepared her: how to deal with the sudden death of a former daughter-in-law who was deeply and uncharacteristically emotionally beloved by the British.
The film opens in May 1997 with the election of Tony Blair. His visit to Buckingham Palace, accompanied by his republican-minded wife, is one of the funniest scenes in the film as Her Majesty gently but firmly puts him in his place: "I'm the one who asks, Mr. Blair." Then the film turns darker as we see Diana's last summer in a photo montage, culminating in the paparazzi chase which led to the fatal car crash in Paris. We relive the shock felt by the Royal Family, the Government, and the world as the news spread, and then we are led through the negotiations as Mr. Blair carefully helps the Queen recognize that her first reaction, to treat the death as a private family matter, is untenable in the face of deep national mourning.
There are many fine scenes in this film. I am especially fond of the elk scene, where the Queen, stranded at Balmoral, gives way to some private tears. I also love a brief moment of tenderness that crosses her face when she watches Charles telling his sons about their mother's death. (I am also impressed with how tactful the film's producers were in not showing close ups of William and Harry during that awful week). Tony Blair's losing patience with his staff's sniping at the Queen and angrily defending her is also very fine. But the most moving moment comes when the Queen makes her way through the crowds at Buckingham Palace, feeling cold and rejected until the little girl hands her a bouquet saying "They're for you." That scene, and the following one as the women begin to curtsey, brings tears to my eyes. Finally, the Queen's warning to Blair that he too will fall someday has a particularly ironic ring these days.
The DVD production is well made, but with few extras beyond an audio commentary and a featurette on the film's production. Such a superb production needs little support, and I intend to rewatch The Queen many times.
Movie Review: "The Queen" is superb
Summary: 5 Stars
After watching "The Kings Speech", I dug out "The Queen" from my movie collection. I had enjoyed watching it before but enjoyed it even more the second time. Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth and Michael Sheen as Tony Blair were phenomenal. I didn't really care for Alex Jennings as Prince Charles but then again, I don't really care for Prince Charles. Prince Philip was very well played by James Cromwell although portrayed as harsh, cruel, and uncaring.
The movie takes place in the weeks after Princess Diana's accidental death in 1997 and intersperses actual news footage throughout. A newly elected Tony Blair immediately gives a speech but the royal family isolate themselves in Balmoral and refuse to acknowledge Diana's death publicly. Queen Elizabeth believes in handling everything privately, Tony Blair, newly elected, tries to pursuade her that the people want more. Prince Charles, played rather sympathetically in this film, also tries to influence the Queen but she does not agree. The press begin to harshly criticize the royal family, the public becomes angry and begin speaking out against the royal family, and Tony Blair continues to plead with the Queen to reconsider and 'be there' for her people.
Mirren is fantastic as the dignified yet somewhat vulnerable Queen. The part where the family finally return to England and walk amongst the flowers and notes left outside the castle, many of the notes expressing harsh feelings towards the monarchy, gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes. As well, the included footage of Diana's brother's actual speech was incredibly emotional. The Queen finally speaks publicly but I am very curious as to how close this speech is to the real one and plan to google it as soon as I finish this review.
"The Queen" is an extremely well-done, gripping, emotional and thought-provoking film. Blair once again is portrayed very positively but one wonders what really transpired during those weeks since many of the conversations between Blair and the Queen would have been private. It's also interesting to note that no real footage of the royal family where they can be seen is included.
To me, a sign of a good movie is when you are left wanting to know more about the events depicted in it. And that is how I felt at the end.
Movie Review: "Duty First"...."This too shall happen to you,Mr.Blair...quite suddenly,without warning!"
Summary: 5 Stars
I still stand in amazement that Peter Morgan's ingenious and character-angst rich screenplay THE QUEEN did not win the 2007 Oscar.Sometimes I just sit back and sigh and say "What the....." when Awards are bestowed.
Revisiting THE QUEEN, now, after first seeing it in the theatres,I was struck with how utterly prophetic Peter Morgan's script so aptly directed by Stephen Frears is.Helen Mirren, unquestionably "queenly" in her inhabitation of Queen Elizabeth of England, prophetically proclaims to Tony Blair (after the whole Diana funeral had come to a close) how incredibly difficult and hurtful it was to her to see that 1 out of 4 Brits actually hated her during her indecision with protocol over Diana's death.Mirren advises quite soberly."It will happen to you Mr.Blair...quite suddenly,without warning!" Were ever more Royal expressions more true.
The one genius of this script is that it not only attempts to humanize and demonize The Royals and the new Prime Minister,but it shows the inescapable political charade that all parties were forced to play in a moment's notice.Princess Diana has died.She is no longer a Royal.Tony Blair has just won a landslide victory for his Party,and Queen Elizabeth if forced to face 1000 years of Monarchical Protocol in the light of such sudden events,especially in the light of her disapproval of Diana AND the new Prime Minister.
What a travesty that this film was only recognized with one single Oscar-that of Helen Mirren,who rightfully deserved it.How many times have I heard, "OH,the movie where Helen Mirren plays The Queen!".But this film is so much more than the acting of Helen Mirren.Michael Sheen as Tony Blair is every bit as important in making this film work,and the Alexandre Desplats soundtrack and the adept direction of Stephen Frears made this SUCH a neat,tidy,seamless and "positively practically English" look at how world leaders deal with events.
Well. Mr.Blair IS gone from office..."quite suddenly, and without warning" and The Queen STILL sits upon her throne.This film should be rewatched often and with great warning to those in high offices. The Queen eventually did what was right for the people,even though everything in her said "NO".Oh,Mr.Blair....why did you not heed your own advice?
Movie Review: Cool Brilliance
Summary: 5 Stars
Helen Mirren deservedly wins the award for best actress for her lead in "The Queen," produced by Stephen Frears. The resemblence to the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, is remarkable in her physical appearance, but also in Mirren's every mannerism, her gaze, her speech. Mirren manages to capture this cool and highly controlled living historical figure with the subtle nuances that indicate warm(ish) blood beneath. It would have been easy to portray Elizabeth II as stiff royalty of robotic sensibilities, but instead, Mirren manages to bring to her a sense of a woman imprisoned by her upbringing and the constraints of her position. There is just a glimmer, now and then, of feeling beneath the proper etiquette, a glimpse of humanity beneath the thick mask of tradition that allows for almost none.
The Queen is portrayed at a time when tradition is forced to crack under "modernization," a favorite term of Tony Blair's (Michael Sheen), new and somewhat awkward prime minister playing a respectful if challenging second fiddle to Her Majesty. Princess Diana has just died in a horrific car accident, and the royal family is not prepared for a nation in grief, a nation, perhaps even spreading to a global community, that has little tolerance left for British cool. There is a sense of blame that sends electric currents through the Palace, who had expected support for their restraint but found instead their centuries old status threatened. Pushed to the limits of her tightly bound comfort zone, Elizabeth II manages to maintain royal grace under fire. A scene in which the Queen is stranded in the country as her vehicle breaks down midstream, and Her Majesty sits in the grass indulging in a secret moment of tears, is exquisite. Another, as she strolls beside the gates outside the Palace to view the flowers and cards left for Diana, many of which are crassly critical of the royal family, but still manages to reconnect to her people is a tension brought beautifully to a resolution - with a glance, with the most minimal nod of acknowledgment, with the acceptance of flowers from an admiring child.
A truly incredible performance, and a refreshingly new perspective on a time when media showed us only one view, from the outside of Buckingham Palace looking in.
Movie Review: A royal performance!
Summary: 5 Stars
Helen Mirren is AMAZING in this film. You just can't mention this brilliant movie with giving kudos to an actress who steps into the shoes of England's current monarch and makes you believe with such eery success that she IS the Queen.
This movie, one of the best of the year, looks at the life of Queen Elizabeth II, during the week of Diana's death. With Tony Blair as a beginning Prime Minister (and played to perfection by actor Michael Sheen), the Queen tries to deal with the Diana's tragic death and the public's perception of how she should grieve. Trying to protect Diana's young sons and preferring to hide at Balmoral, the Queen brings about the wrath of her citizens, seemingly acting in a cold and uncaring way to the death of a woman loved world wide.
The movie is short and conise: the director concentrating on a dramatic time in the Queen's life, a turning point that perhaps changed the idea of the monarchy for the Queen and her public. Mirren seems to fall away, becoming a woman who can't understand how she should be forced to deal with such a private matter in public, but eventually surrendering to the will of her people. I found one scene very interesting, in which she grieves the lost of a brilliant stag, shot on a neighboring territory. She waves him away, hoping to save him from hunters. To me, the stag in a sense, was like Diana, beautiful but hunted incessantly. However, with the stag, it seemed the Queen could grieve much easier and yet found it difficult to deal with the death of her grandchildren's mother.
The cast does an incredible job with their roles (James Cromwell is [...]and mean spirited as Prince Philip) and as I mentioned before, Michael Sheen becomes Tony Blair. The one actor I didn't care for was Alex Jennings who played Prince Charles. He never seemed to get the mannerisms and character of the Prince of Wales, though the film treats him with sympathy as opposed to the other royals. Other than that, this movie is deserving of winning the big award, Best Picture of the Year.
If you enjoy great acting, the royal family or the brilliant Helen Mirren, you must go and see this film. I look forward to the dvd release of this film!