The King’s Speech Review: Stammeringly Good

I’m not convinced that many people would argue with me when I say that 2010 has been a dreadfully disappointing year at the movies. We’ve been seemingly pummeled to death this year by lifeless cinema that substituted hastily made 3D effects for imagination and originality. I can sadly think of only a handful of films this year that actually transported me to that magical place I call Movie Heaven where what I’m watching completely takes over my mind and unfolds around me in a way that makes me lose all sense of time and forget my outside life. Maybe I’m getting old and cynical but these experiences seem to be happening less and less often to a point where I find it depressing. So imagine my joy when it happened this week upon viewing The King’s Speech.

Some people may roll their eyes and dismiss something described as a World War II-set British royalty drama but they would be doing themselves a grave disservice because this one happens to be one of the most charming and pleasant movie experiences I’ve had in a long while. Director Tom Hooper (HBO’s John Adams) has assembled both a visually stunning and historically fascinating film that will surely be a contender for many of this year’s Academy Awards.

Set in the tumultuous era of 1930s Britain, The King’s Speech tells the intriguing story of how King George VI (Colin Firth) rose to the throne while battling a debilitating speech impediment. It may sound trivial but imagine a national leader in any era where broadcast existed and think about how impossible their duties would be even if they were unelected. King George, also known as Bertie to his family, struggled with this his entire life as a result of restrictions put upon him by his royal family. Watching his attempts to speak publicly is absolutely painful and Firth sells it with facial expressions that evoke a man trapped inside his own mind without a voice.

His loving wife Elizabeth, played by the always remarkable Helena Bonham Carter, refuses to let him give up when his pride begs him to stop seeking help, but when the film begins his prospect for being cured appears hopeless. After seeing every serious speech therapist in the country, Elizabeth attempts going to a more unorthodox source in the form of Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue, an Australian speech therapist/failed actor with strange methods and no actual credentials. Logue insists on only seeing his patients in the privacy of his basement office and prying into their personal lives like a psychologist in an attempt to get at the root of the problem. This naturally goes over poorly with the usually tight-lipped and secretive royal family but when Logue insists on being at their same level, Bertie and Elizabeth have no choice but to agree.

More interestingly for those who might be a bit rusty on their British history, we get to witness the behind the scenes drama of the change of power that occurs after the death of King George V played by Michael Gambon. Bertie, as the younger son of the family was obviously not next in line to succeed his father but the wild lifestyle of his older brother, David (Guy Pearce), casts doubt on his ability to lead morally. Even when his father dies and David rises to become King Edward VIII, the pressure of the throne and the threat of war with Germany fail to bring him in line as he instead insists on marrying a divorced woman from Baltimore of all places. This traditionally unfathomable act eventually leads David to abandon the throne putting Bertie in the hot seat to lead his empire through the tough days of World War II and beyond.

These behind-the-scenes glimpses are fascinating but the true heart of the movie lies in seeing how they play out in the relationship between Bertie and Logue as they struggle to cure his speech malady. Both of the men are capable of challenging the other in a variety of ways and in doing so become the best friend either of them has probably ever had. It’s an amazing dynamic to witness and both Firth and Rush are stunning together in the roles to a point that I think they both deserve Oscar attention. In fact, the entire cast is a veritable actors showcase with everyone giving brilliant work from the major roles on down to Timothy Spall‘s brief appearances as Winston Churchill.

And as if the acting alone wasn’t good enough, the film is also crafted in stunning fashion with gorgeous sets, beautiful cinematography, and costumes that made me briefly consider doing drag as Helena Bonham Carter’s Queen Elizabeth for next Halloween. I certainly can’t speak for historical accuracy since I missed this time period by about 50 years, but it feels absolutely authentic and uses special effects to recreate the era in an impressive but non-overt way.

It may not be as complex and mind-bending as Inception or as quirky and fun as Scott Pilgrim vs The World but this is easily one of my contenders for best film of the year thanks to all of the reasons listed above and the simple state of joy that I experienced while watching it. The King’s Speech is once again a perfect example of how interesting characters and a compelling story can transport you and in some cases leave you utterly speechless. No pun intended of course.

Grade: A