The King's Speech Review (5/5)

That quality benchmark I said had been set by 127 Hours (4.5/5) earlier this week? The King's Speech raises it and then some. That Colin Firth had already recieved countless academy award nominations for his sublime portrayal of King George VI prior to my viewing meant my expectations were already relatively high for the Brit flick, and there's nothing I love more than for a movie not just to meet but surpass my anticipation and show passionately why audiences pay to sit inside for two hours. Very much a character piece, The King's Speech follows George through the years leading to his ascension to the monarchy and his unexpected inauguration at a time when war was inevitable, its protagonist desperate to overcome his mocked stammer before his first wartime speech to the citizens of Britain. Enter Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue, a lovable Australian voice coach who hides dark memories behind his comedic lessons and everlasting faith in the future monarch 'Berty. Were it not for Rush's refreshingly light-hearted take on Logue, this 120-minute drama would be too dark and dreary for any viewer, and even Colin Firth could not have helmed such a flick on its own. In fact, Firth plays off his co-stars so elegantly, yet bears such reverence towards his historical counterpart that it is absolutely no wonder that the nominations came flooding in after the movie's release. By no means is The King's Speech perfect: the over-emphasis on George's stammer is draining at times, and it is nothing less than a crime that Helena Bonham-Carter and Timothy Spall get so little screen time as the Queen Mother and Winston Churchill respectively. Don't let those factors get you down, though, as The King's Speech is truly a film masterpiece that educates and enthralls in equal measure and like the real-life events it is inspired by will go down in history, not to mention being a contender for Film of the Year.