Great actress highlight of great movie

Rating: 10/10 (2 February 1999)

I knew Cate Blanchett had talent after OSCAR AND LUCINDA, but even I was blown away by her performance here. Only Billy Bob Thornton in A SIMPLE PLAN, Gwyneth Paltrow in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, and Tom Hanks in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN come close. She captures the heart, drive, intelligence, vulnerability, and ruthlessness of the "Virgin Queen." I think my favorite scene is early on when she is summoned by her sister, leaves, and is afraid she's going to be executed by the soldiers around her, but instead bluffs her way past, overhears Norfolk chewing the soldiers out for letting her bluff her way through, and then laughs. She deserved the Golden Globe, and I hope she wins the Oscar.
The rest of the film is excellent as well. I think some people were looking for a stuffy costume drama, but I liked how modern the technique was; all those dark rooms and moving camera shots added to the intrigue. Geoffrey Rush may get a nomination for SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, but he's much better here, trully Machieavellian as her closest and most ruthless ally. I wasn't a fan of Kapur's THE BANDIT QUEEN, but this is excellent filmmaking.