"The Kings Speech" -- My Movie Review

I saw British Oscar bait flick The King's Speech, starring Colin Firth, today. I like to be an informed viewer on Oscar night (it's like my Superbowl, after all), so I make a point of seeing as many potential nominees as possible. As a result, I end up seeing lot of artsy-fartsy movies I might not otherwise see. Sometimes it's too highbrow for me, goes right over my head. Sometimes it's just plain dull. Other times I fall in love. Mercifully, with King's Speech it was love. It may have been the most entertaining movie I saw this Christmas season (and I've seen like 7 movies in the last two weeks).

I was less than enthusiastic about seeing this movie. I felt obligated though b/c it's a shoe-in for Oscar. I was mildly interested in the subject matter: King George VI, the current Queen Elizabeth's father, struggles to overcome a debilitating stutter. I know you're thinking, "why the hell would anyone be interested in that?!" I have no answer for you, but I was mildly intrigued by the idea of a prominent public figure dealing with a stutter. Mildly. I have zero interest in present-day royals (couldn't care less about all this Prince William & Kate wedding hoopla), but I'm endlessly fascinated by the history of the monarchy. I absolutely love the Elizabeth movies (starring Cate Blanchett, who will forever be Queen Elizabeth I to me) and "The Tudors" tv show (about Elizabeth I's dad, Henry V, as played by the delicious Jonathan Rhys-Myers). I also saw Helen Mirren's Oscar-winning turn as Elizabeth II in The Queen and her Emmy-winning turn as the titular character in the miniseries "Elizabeth I." (Yes, she played both Queen E's, and won awards both times!). So a peek behind the royal curtain, semi-fictionalized though it may be, absolutely appeals to me.

Still, I was lukewarm about Speech and rather grudgingly set out to fulfill my Oscar duty. No one is more surprised than me by just how much I enjoyed it. It was such a touching movie. I felt the king-to-be's pain as he struggled to make simple public statements, the expectant and then pitying eyes of the people on him. The horrible pauses, the dead radio air, the stammers, the stutters. The pressure! I see why Firth is a frontrunner for best actor. I felt so bad for him as he fought to get the words out and as his father & brother mocked him, and so happy for him whenever he had a small oratory victory. Between his patient & supportive wife (played by Helena Bonham Carter) and his determined and unorthodox speech therapist (Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush), the movie became a beautiful story about family & friendship and one man's struggle to overcome a seemingly innocuous deficiency that shamed him & impeded him in his royal duties. Imagine if our president couldn't deliver a speech with conviction. WTF? How could he command anyone's respect? How could he reassure anyone? How could he be taken seriously? This is the dilemma facing George VI in this movie. And everyone involved (actors, writer, director) did a great job of evoking empathy in the audience. We take so many things for granted, but it never even occurred to me that a stutter could be so debilitating. But if you are a political leader, hell yeah, that's a serious issue. How much do I appreciate my literal voice after this movie?

There were also several comic touches to lighten the mood throughout (in practice sessions, the therapist encourages the king to spew expletives during those uncomfortable silences since he can swear with fluidity!). Lots of subtle moments that make you smile. Watching the royal leader forge an honest friendship with a commoner (the therapist) was endearing to watch. When all was said and done, I was surreptitiously wiping away the tears from my cheeks at the end. I did not see that coming! Granted, I'm a wimp when it comes to crying in movies (it really doesn't take much), but surely I'm not the only one who was moved by this movie's sweetness. In fact, the lady a few seats down was blowing her nose. Could've been allergies, but I choose to believe she was affected just like me. :-) (Just let me believe it, damnit.)

I love when a movie surprises you in a good way. If I weren't such an Oscar whore, I never would have seen this delightful film. Some will say it's predictable or contrived, but so what? It's so sweet, and It makes you feel good. What's a little predictability and contrivance when that's the end result?