Review: The King's Speech

The Weinstein Company

Isn't this a great picture? Love it. And it sets the tone for much of the movie. British actor Colin Firth plays Albert, the Duke of York (I think?) who inevitably becomes King George VI, as you can tell from the title. But with the dawn of technology such as radio and all that jazz, Kings are now expected to speak more in public and make broadcasts instead of just looking nice in a royal outfit. The only problem is 'Berty' (as his family calls him) has a terrible impediment of stuttering. He's seen all the greatest physicians but nothing has worked and he's frustrated to no end. "But he hasn't seen me", as Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) tells Berty's sweet wife, Queen Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter).

Right, the board is set, the plot and it's struggle is clearly defined. Overall, it's a very simple movie. 'The King's Speech' has been advertised as that hifalutin (love that word), soaring, over dramatic, inevitable Oscar winner. But it's really nothing of the sort. It's quite modest, in fact. This has been the case with a number of critically acclaimed movies this year. Like 'True Grit', '127 Hours', 'The Fighter', and a number of others, there's nothing very outgoing or unusual about any of them. They're all solid movies in their own right, but not much more. 'Speech' is by no means left out.

The acting and cinematography are what I noticed the most. Firth, Rush, and Bonham Carter are all great. Firth will probably win best actor this year. Not because this performance is particularly outstanding, but because he deserves it after all he's done, especially after his turn in last year's 'A Single Man.' Bonham Carter has always been a fine actress whether she's playing an insane witch in Harry Potter or a butcherer's assistant in 'Sweeney Todd.' Rush has always been a favorite actor of mine and can do no wrong whether in 'Mystery Men' (remember that movie?), 'Pirates of the Caribbean' or 'Speech.' If there's one way to describe the acting in 'Speech' it's comfortable. All of these actors come across as so comfortable in their roles, and combined with the fine cinematography and dialogue, the entire movie feels very confident.

The Weinstein Company

Although Firth is destined for awards, my favorite part was Rush. He was my favorite in the 'Pirates' films and his character in 'Speech' is very like-able. As for the cinematography, it wasn't anything flashy or vibrant like 'Black Swan', because that would obviously not work for the tone of the movie. But that doesn't mean it wasn't appealing to the eye. I found it highly appealing. The lighting and precise framing blended with each scene so well and gave it that extra coloring to bring it to completion. A simple shot of the side of a person's head against a backdrop of patterned wallpaper makes for a very nice photo. It doesn't necessarily feel old-fashioned, but it isn't strained.

And neither is the plot. What could've of ended up being a flood of emotion and over-dramatic character development is handled with just the right amount of drama to conduct change but not a flurry of cheesy dialogue, tears, and red-faced shouting. We learn details about Berty's childhood and what he went through as the younger son with a speech impediment and a father who saw it as something to be beaten out of him. It comes down to the struggle of whether or not he can be king. He had spent his life trying to live up to his father's harsh expectations and not creating any of his own. His friendship with Logue and Logue's techniques as his teacher force these issues into the open and bring each character to light.

The Weinstein Company

It's plot points and issues like these that could easily be taken to the extreme in an attempt to make that grand Oscar winner. What movies like 'The King's Speech' teach us is that sticking to the basics and making those the strongest they can possibly be without going over the top is the best way to go sometimes. Not every movie needs to be an 'English Patient' or some Clint Eastwood movie (sorry, Clint, but you're melodramatic). 'Speech' is destined for awards and while I hope Christian Bale wins supporting actor for 'The Fighter', Rush should be a very close second.