The King's Speech

I went to see this film with the news that it had received 12 Academy Award nominations, and as a film it has dominated the categories at the BAFTAs as well. Pundits now claim that the race is between this film, and The Social Network.

So I had high hopes. And I, as indeed with The Social Network and Black Swan was not disappointed.

The film follows Bertie, the future George VI (Colin Firth) who suffers from a serious stammer. His wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham-Carter) has searched high and low for a doctor who will help him get over this problem, but to no avail, until she comes across Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), an Australian speech therapist whose eccentric methods work wonderfully. I don't think that's a spoiler, as it is pretty much history. His appointments take place against the backdrop of a succession crisis on the death of George V (Michael Gambon), and the accession of Edward (Gareth Pearce), who is more interested in marrying Wallis Simpson (Eve Best) than performing his duties as king which means 'B-B-Bertie' ascends to the throne.

David Seidler, the screenwriter, and Tom Hooper's biggest challenge here was to make a story that everyone knew the resolution of, as we know history, and make it compelling. They succeed wonderfully. I was sort of expecting the actors to carry the piece, but the writing and directing mean that the audience is gripped by the story as well as the performances. I really wanted Bertie to succeed in giving his speeches, and even in the final speech-which you know will be complete-I felt almost on the edge of my seat with hope that Bertie would manage to get through it.

Of course, Colin Firth's performance has been written about a million times, but it deserves all the hyperbole. Firth's ability to make his character sympathetic, despite some flashes of prejudice is brilliant; as is his grip on the stammer that his character fights against. There are moments when his frustration almost reduces him to tears, and Firth really knows how to pull at the audience's heartstrings. As with the wonderful A Single Man, he takes another step away from his performances as Darcy-esque characters.

Geoffrey Rush is also very good, which makes me assume that Christian Bale must be simply fantastic in The Fighter. Rush brings an utter calmness to the role of Lionel; he almost acts like a father figure to Bertie, and manages to get under the skin of the Duke of York as a person, as opposed to just a figurehead. Rush is also gifted with some of the film's best one-liners. As Bertie's wife, Helena Bonham-Carter is also good, and other able support comes from Guy Pearce as a totally spineless Edward, Derek Jacobi as a rather smarmy Archbishop and Timothy Spall, who on paper seems a rather unlikely Churchill, but who manages to bring the right physicality and vocal work to the role.

It was also quite fun to see Jennifer Ehle, who played Elizabeth opposite Firth as Darcy in the BBC adaptation of Pride & Prejudice popping up as Lionel's wife, and also Ramona Marquez, the young star of Outnumbered, doing a similarly cute performance as Princess Margaret.

I didn't expect to enjoy this film quite as much as I did, so I would suggest that you go and catch this if you can. It is a truly moving, character-driven piece.