Directed by:
Tom HooperScreenplay:
David SeidlerCinematography:
Danny CohenComposer:
Alexandre DesplatCast:
Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Derek Jacobi, Geoffrey Rush, Richard Dixon, Jennifer Ehle, Ramona Marquez, David Bamber, Michael Gambon, Guy Pearce (more)VOD (5)
Plots(1)
After the death of his father King George V (Michael Gambon) and the scandalous abdication of King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), Bertie (Colin Firth) who has suffered from a debilitating speech impediment all his life, is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. With his country on the brink of war and in desperate need of a leader, his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), the future Queen Mother, arranges for her husband to see an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). After a rough start, the two delve into an unorthodox course of treatment and eventually form an unbreakable bond. With the support of Logue, his family, his government and Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall), the King will overcome his stammer and deliver a radio-address that inspires his people and unites them in battle. Based on the true story of King George VI, THE KING'S SPEECH follows the Royal Monarch's quest to find his voice. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (12)
The King’s Speech is distinguished by its wonderful camerawork and set designs (the walk through a foggy park with conical trees is an aesthetic orgasm), brilliant actors, handicapped main character (with a heartbreaking crying scene), a loving wife, and when things come to the worst, a sudden sense of urgency brought on by Hitler's coming to power. The film has the pure soul of Rain Man placed in noble English setting in the style of Merchant-Ivory productions, or another certain way to get an Oscar, though this time it is truly kind and sincere. But let’s not be sentimental – Tom Hooper “only” perfectly utilized everything he had been taught at film school and what he learned both in Hollywood and England, and he did not bring any unique artist’s imprint into his work or push filmmaking forward. That’s why during the Academy Awards, I kept my fingers crossed for the more special, bolder and progressive artists Fincher and Aronofsky.
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A film for which I didn't mind the expected plot development, the touching ending, and the overall almost violent "you're watching an Oscar movie, so a bit of respect bloody hell" vibe. Firth is divine, Carter is divine, Rush is divine, the cinematography is divine (pleasing even for a conversational film, imaginative use of steadycam), the script is divine, the ending is exactly as it should be, and the heaps of euphemisms that make up the English upper class vocabulary are hilarious without even needing to be pointed out. I'd still be more in favor of Oscars for Black Swan, though, because my sensibilities have always been closer to films that aren't afraid to experiment.
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A very enjoyable intimate drama about real issues against the backdrop of historical events. The cast is great, of course, but in a way too much so, because each of the main three characters is such a distinct actor that they overshadow their characters. The set design also has no major flaws, which is good, although that’s almost a given nowadays.
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The Unbearable Lightness of Royal Being, or the first film that allowed me to understand the power and meaning of the monarchy. Tom Hooper may be accused of "academic coldness" by some sensitive folk, but in my opinion, he directs in an economical style that allows the actors' charisma to shine through, placing The King's Speech amongst the ranks of engagingly chatty films like Howard's Frost/Nixon or Fincher's The Social Network.
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Serious themes of an interesting era in the chronicle of humanity, the beauty of Victorian England (exteriors/interiors, aesthetics), and a lead cast of two. These are the three main assets in this formally meticulously done film, which lacks pull and a good dose of emotion. The sparkle is not enough. If Tom Hooper wasn't just a good craftsman, but a progressive innovator who could put his own distinctive spin on things (and there was a ton of room for that here), this would be downright great. Academics have lost their minds over something that isn’t nearly that great.
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