The King's Speech

The King's Speech (2010)
Directed by Tom Hooper
Length: 118 minutes
Rated R for some language







Hollywood loves a film about personal triumphs. Just think about films in the past that have won or competed for several Oscars: Forrest Gump, Rain Man, The Elephant Man, My Left Foot, etc. While The King's Speech is less about physical deformities and more about Freudian psychological trauma leading to disabilities, the latest uplifting tale of King George VI's struggles with a terrible stutter promise to contend for several golden statues. But is The King's Speech another example of Oscar love for a stuffy British drama? Unfortunately, it would seem so.

Colin Firth (Main Street; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) continues to amaze with another award worthy performance as King George VI. A former British naval officer, "Berty," as his family affectionately calls him, is forced to become king when his older brother vacates the throne for a twice divorced American. However, Berty has a crippling stutter that often incites more snickering and doubting than patriotism. With the imminent threat of war with Germany (WWII) and the responsibilities of being a member of the British royal family, Berty seeks the help of a speech therapist, a former actor Lionel Logue, played by Geoffrey Rush (The Warrior's Way, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides). With an unorthodox methodology consisting of cursing and singing, can Logue help Berty lead the British Empire into war?

Without a doubt, the main focus of the film is the relationship between King George VI and Logue. This humorous and sometimes intense friendship makes up the majority of the film. While watching a member of the British royalty curse for the first time with great zeal is quite funny, The King's Speech definitely feels "British" throughout - stuffy and a bit rigid. Several critics have stated how accessible the film is to the masses but be warned this is still very much a period piece.

So is the film worthy of all the Oscar buzz? Not really. That isn't to say the film is not enjoyable, but best picture it is not. Firth is once again worthy of the critical praise for his portrayal of King George VI; however, his nominated role for last year's A Single Man seemed to be the more award worthy performance. Additionally, Rush fills the "funny sideman" role well with his eccentric turn as the king's speech therapist. Bottom line, the film is certainly enjoyable. But let's pump the brakes when it comes to the Oscar buzz.

Final Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote:
Lionel Logue: "Do you know the 'f' word?"
King George VI: "Ffff...fornication?"

Oscar Winners
Best Motion Picture
Best Actor in a Leading Role - Colin Firth
Best Achievement in Directing - Tom Hooper
Best Original Screenplay

Oscar Nominations:
Best Achievement in Art Direction
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Best Achievement in Editing
Best Original Score
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Best Supporting Actor - Geoffrey Rush
Best Supporting Actress - Helen Bonham Carter