Witty. Fascinating. Sincere. A delightful film

Rating: 8/10 (30 December 2010)

With so many great films coming out this year, I feel that The King's Speech will get lost amongst them all, to me at least, but that still doesn't mean it isn't a great film. It's about King George VI of Britain and how he overcame a fear of public speaking and a painful stammer in order to give a voice to his country in dire need of one at the start of World War II. The movie tells a pleasing, exciting, and very interesting story with a great cast of characters.
A story like this is something that can be lost easily in a time where there was so much turmoil and confusion in the world and most of the focus was on the war itself and the main political leaders who helmed the main countries involved in the war. But it is not a story worth missing. It's a very interesting story that most definitely deserves to be told. It is triumphant and uplifting and provides a unique perspective in a time history books have familiarized us with so well. The storyline not only serves as a lead in to World War II, but it gives a lot of insight into the royal family in Britain at that time. It begins with George as the Duke of York, while his father was still in power. After his father dies his brother David becomes king but quickly resigns from the position to marry an American woman. George must be hailed in as King in a very spur of the moment manner, making the fight against his stammer that much more difficult. It is the kind of story that one must read into if they really want to know about it, but The King's Speech delivers this story in a very charming and fascinating manner. It kept me very interested, as well as entertained.
The film combines a sort of dry British wit with dramatic sincerity. Some of the exchanges between Firth and Rush's characters are hysterical. It is a high quality comedy that doesn't wash over the film in excess, but displays itself quietly and respectfully. The rest of the film strays from being overly dramatic, but it still gives off a very serious vibe that keeps you engaged in the film. Tom Hooper over directs the film to an extent, despite there being a handful of very well crafted shots. The screenplay stays very witty and very articulate throughout the entire film and it covers up any directorial faults. The film keeps a nice pace that lags only slightly in the middle, but then picks up again for an engaging and delightful climax. The King's Speech is a very well made film that doesn't possess any glaring flaws.
The cast is one of the highlights of this film and I expect the film to do very well at the Academy Awards in that aspect. Colin Firth puts forth a great effort as King George. There isn't a wasted line in the film for him, and he works through his character extremely well. He plays a very flawed character, but also keeps him likable and empathetic. We want nothing more but for him to succeed during the entire film. Geoffrey Rush plays Lionel Logue, George's speech therapist, and does a tremendous job in his role. He is one of the most likable characters in the film, despite having subtle flaws of his own. The relationship between Rush and Firth has an incredible amount of articulation and fascination behind it, and it keeps the film incredibly lively. The scenes with just Firth and Rush are undoubtedly the best of the entire film. Helena Bonham Carter plays Queen Elizabeth in a very entertaining role. Her character has a much more subtle importance to the whole film, and Carter does a magnificent job from start to finish.
The King's Speech is one of those films that you just can't find any flaw worth complaining about. It tells a great story with a colorful cast of characters, each cast member putting forth a top notch performance. The film will delight you in every way and will lift your spirits in a very pleasing manner. There are so many films worth seeing in 2010, and this is definitely one of them.