The Queen
I am no Royalist. that said I am not crying out for the United Kingdom to be a Republic. I like things as they are, a royal family with little power and a democratic government.
So taking this into consideration I could go to see the queen with a fairly neutral mind and without my own politics putting any slant on it.
I have to say I enjoyed this movie. there is of course little action, the pace is fairly slow but I did not expect it otherwise. It gives you a good perspective of how the royal family might be, I think it probably portrayed most people in this fairly accurately. What it does do is humanise them a little more, you get to ee them more as normal people though with privilege.
The film takes place during the period when Diana died in a car crash and mainly the week between that and the funeral. It showed how the Queen was out of touch with her people and more old fashioned and private. Yet despite this it did not show her as cold, it showed her as a compassionate woman with feelings but someone who simply does not like these feelings out in the open. Helen Miran played the Queen particularly well.
Another strong performance was from Michael Sheen as tony Blair, the second time he hs played him and he portrays him very well. It shows him starting to get more into the role as Prime Minister, uncertain at first but gradually becoming stronger and stronger. At the start in their encounters the Queen very much dominated him, toward the end she was doing as he asked. It showed a Prime Minister sympathetic to how the queen felt but understanding all too well the public feeling and reaction and how he slowly persuades the Queen to fly the flag at half mast over Buckingham palace, and also come to London to see the flowers and for there to be a state funeral. It is a great performance and I expect we shall see a lot more form this fine actor.
Overall an enjoyable movie which shows the personal and the politics around the royal family as well the Prime Minister and his entourage. I think most of them come out looking pretty well from this with the exception of Prince Philip. tony Blair in particular should be happy about how he is portrayed as a strong, compassionate leader in touch with the people and with good diplomacy skills.
So taking this into consideration I could go to see the queen with a fairly neutral mind and without my own politics putting any slant on it.
I have to say I enjoyed this movie. there is of course little action, the pace is fairly slow but I did not expect it otherwise. It gives you a good perspective of how the royal family might be, I think it probably portrayed most people in this fairly accurately. What it does do is humanise them a little more, you get to ee them more as normal people though with privilege.
The film takes place during the period when Diana died in a car crash and mainly the week between that and the funeral. It showed how the Queen was out of touch with her people and more old fashioned and private. Yet despite this it did not show her as cold, it showed her as a compassionate woman with feelings but someone who simply does not like these feelings out in the open. Helen Miran played the Queen particularly well.
Another strong performance was from Michael Sheen as tony Blair, the second time he hs played him and he portrays him very well. It shows him starting to get more into the role as Prime Minister, uncertain at first but gradually becoming stronger and stronger. At the start in their encounters the Queen very much dominated him, toward the end she was doing as he asked. It showed a Prime Minister sympathetic to how the queen felt but understanding all too well the public feeling and reaction and how he slowly persuades the Queen to fly the flag at half mast over Buckingham palace, and also come to London to see the flowers and for there to be a state funeral. It is a great performance and I expect we shall see a lot more form this fine actor.
Overall an enjoyable movie which shows the personal and the politics around the royal family as well the Prime Minister and his entourage. I think most of them come out looking pretty well from this with the exception of Prince Philip. tony Blair in particular should be happy about how he is portrayed as a strong, compassionate leader in touch with the people and with good diplomacy skills.