The King’s Speech is expected to be one of the big winners during this weekend’s Oscar ceremony, so I though it would be a good moment to review it. At the BAFTA’s the movie already won several prizes, including best actor (Colin Firth), best actress (Helena Bonham Carter), best supporting role (Geoffrey Rush) and best screenplay. What’s the reason this movie has won so much and has such a big chance of winning?
The movie is about prince George VI of England, who is about to step up to the throne and become king. Because of technological developments the king is no longer a static image, but also someone who people want to listen to. Radio now makes this possible. Unfortunately George has a big issue with this development as he stutters a lot, which could be a disaster to the royal family as it could influence public opinion. His wife Elizabeth starts her search for a therapist who can help her husband with his problem. Reluctantly George keeps going to everyone she suggest, until he meets Lionel Logue, who does things just a bit differently, which results in some interesting tension between George and Lionel.
Colin Firth plays his role as stuttering king with a lot of conviction. It’s clear he’s playing a character that’s struggling with a lot of issues and isn’t always the nicest person to be around. Together with Geoffrey Rush he manages to create some memorable scenes. The story is being told in a captivating way and visually it manages to feel very personal. The focus really is on the people and the sets, although good, really are not that important. The King’s Speech tells a personal story about a leader of a country and manages to do so in such a way that as a viewer you can’t stop watching.
Score: 8