The Queen (2006)

4 STARS

Directed by Stephen Frears
Produced by Andy Harries, Christine Langan, Tracey Seaward
Written by Peter Morgan (based on real life events)

Starring Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell

Runtime 1 hour, 37 mins.
Worldwide Gross $123,384,128
Genres Drama, Historical, Biography

As the ruler of one of the world's most prosperous countries for 57 years, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has earned the respect of her nation and the revere of other world leaders. However, as an important figurehead of modern ideals, her private life is often kept under lock and key. This is what The Queen bases itself on.

Following the death of Princess Diana of Wales, Elizabeth (Mirren) shrouds herself and her family from the press and refuses to make a statement, with the belief that the death of Diana is a "private affair". For five days, against the warnings of newly elected Prime Minster Tony Blair (Sheen), Elizabeth decides to keep her family in the comfort of their private estate in Scotland. In doing this, the press begins to write nasty things about her and she begins to lose the respect of her people.

Throughout the film, screenwriter Peter Morgan subtly examines many things. How much privacy is too much? Why did Elizabeth stay in Balmoral? Did the throne's rocky relationship with Diana affect Elizabeth's decisions? Is it always crucial to keep traditions if they harm the feelings of others? Is it always right to succumb to the wishes of the people? Though many questions are pondered during the film's hour and a half running time, the script never seems too confusing. This is because Morgan makes the right decision to explore only one idea at a time.

However, where the script succeeds it in a way also fails. Though the film's slow pace adds to its quality, it also gives the story a lagging feeling. If you want an exciting film, this isn't it. But I recognize this as a simple fact, not a negative quality. The truth is, if you want a fair, accurate portrayal of the Queen of England, you couldn't get any more spot on.

This is no doubt in part because of the stupendous acting by Helen Mirren. She plays the role with an ease so fluid, you could think she were the queen herself. Remarkably, she performs just the perfect amount of drama without being over the top, something some actors these days have problems with. Her portrayal makes you interested in the film and attached to her character. She also gives off just the perfect amount emotions to make you not only question the character's motives, but to sympathize with her as well.

One thing I don't quite like is the performance by Michael Sheen. His main problem is that his mannerisms seem over the top. It's almost as though he's trying too hard. However, I can very much understand how hard it would be to portray a living person. But while Mirren strives to achieve excellency, Sheen's performance as Tony Blair could've been so much better. His performance wasn't altogether terrible, but it no doubt has much room for growth. This role is one that if played right could do great things for you. Sadly, this just wasn't the case for Sheen.

Another thing I don't quite like is that we don't seem to get a lot of background information on the film's many characters. As I'm not a resident of Great Britain, many of the characters introduced I was unfamiliar with. Morgan sometimes throws in some background about the queen, revealing in conversations that she was young during the abdication of the throne and that she was a mechanic in World War II. When this information was given, I felt like I could appreciate the character more. So why didn't Morgan do this more often? This is after all a historical drama.

If you love history, if you love drama or if you love effective, intimate Hollywood biographies, The Queen is your film. There's great things to be seen here. Helen Mirren's acting is a must see, Peter Morgan's screenplay is, with reservations, well-written and Stephen Frears' directing is smooth and effective. Though it might be altogether forgotten five years down the line, The Queen is a sparkling diamond in the rough.

The Queen is rated PG-13 for brief strong language.