I’m half British. Actually, I sometimes feel more British than American. Most of the television I watch and enjoy is British. I can sometimes be more up-to-date on British news than local news. But listen to me as I tell you, it doesn’t take a Brit to love The King’s Speech.
Colin Firth stars as the awkward Prince Albert, or Bertie, who suddenly becomes king when his big brother King Edward VIII abdicates the throne to marry the divorced American Wallis Simpson.
However, Bertie/King George VI has a problem. Being King, he’s in a position where he has to speak in public. A lot. The only thing is, he can’t speak. That is to say, he has quite a bad stutter. Now, being a victim of a slight speech impediment myself, I was reluctant to see this. But, it’s my duty, so I went. I have to say, compared to his problem, I look like I recite the phone book for a living. Back to the story, Bertie is in a pickle. No speech therapist is really helping him. Until he meets Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), a commoner from Australia. This movie is about how he helps the King overcome his issue.
The acting in this movie was very well done, as I actually felt like I was watching history. Every word, every sentence was strong, however spoken. I also have to acknowledge the screenplay, as everything seemed to be set up as to keep the movie flowing smoothly and interestingly. This movie could certainly end up nominated for, or even winning the Oscar for Best Picture.
It almost, ALMOST would be perfectly appropriate for kids in the eyes of the MPAA, but there is one big scene with a lot of swearing. The thing is, Bertie’s only swearing for purely therapeutic purposes. So if a kid is mature enough to understand that, he should be fine. Unfortunately, the stuck-ups at the MPAA are convinced that this doesn’t deserve anything below an R-rating.
Age Recommendation: I’d say 12+, maybe 11. I mean, as I said, a mature enough kid should be fine.
Final Verdict: This could very well be best picture material. I give it the full 10/10.
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