Widely acclaimed films can quite often be over hyped, leaving viewers who heard such praise to have overly high expectations. Needless to say The King's Speech is a superb film; however it is not a film of grand events but a focused struggle on one man’s affliction with his own voice. The plot see’s King George VI (Colin Firth) fighting to cure his stammer in light of his recent Kingship and the outbreak of war. With the help of speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), the Kings ultimate goal is to be able to deliver his first broadcasted wartime speech to the nation.
The propulsion of this film is fuelled by some of the finest character acting I have seen in film coupled with a sharp, witty and well paced script. Now prepare for gushing, you’re likely to know who it’s about. Colin Firth puts in an astounding performance as King George VI, with searing attention to detail in his mannerisms and obviously his voice. There is a moment in the film where Lionel delves into the King's past; the way his character changes quickly as he reflects on various memories is like watching the seasons change. There’s such natural grace in his performance. Coupled with his ferocious outbursts and sense of humour, Firth just is King George just as Daniel Day Lewis is Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood, you never stop to realise it’s an act.
The supporting cast are equally impressive and it comes as no surprise that both Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush have been nominated for their supporting roles at the Oscars, a testament to how crucial they are to the film. It never fails to impress me when not only are the characters convincing but the settings also. The producers and crew have constructed a rich and realistic 1930’s London and impressive CGI extensions in outdoor scenes help bolster this realism. The cinematography does well to highlight these details by not invading the space of the characters and letting the audience take in the surroundings.
The appeal of the film isn’t too hard to pinpoint, it is a solid as a rock crowd pleaser, and at the heart there’s conflict as Logue digs into King George's past. Logue and Bertie (Georges nickname) are at polar opposites. The Royal family's personal matters are closely guarded and Logues approach is focused on being open, this creates such great friction between the two and results in moments of great drama and delightful humour. As Logue navigates a way to get Bertie to open up, he too deals with a few of his own insecurities; these moments are brief due to the focus on the King. The deeper meanings of the film are laid on thick with several scenes revolving around Logue and Bertie's children where kindness and encouragement are abundant, contrasted to other scenes involving relationships Bertie has with his father and brother, where expectations and demands are rife.
What I loved about this film is the way the story is treated, with it being inspired by real events it never loses pace which can be an all too common problem. Also it doesn’t have a Eureka moment, you know the one, where everything is solved and the final scenes are met with this cliché of ridiculous self confidence and the character changes. The change in the character is mainly in his relationship with Logue, one that helps him with his problem, but also gives him something he’s never had before, a true and honest friend.
A huge contender in the Oscar run, will those nominations turn into wins? I have no doubt that a number of them will but one thing’s for certain, Colin Firth will be crowned Best Actor. Go see it now.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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