Missing a little touch that could quite simply make it the best British film in years...

Rating: 9/10 (9 January 2011)

Having seen reviews declaring it the 'best film of the year' and the film which will 'sweep the Oscars', I decided that I would, with my parents, go to see Tom Hooper's 'The King's Speech'. As with many hyped and essentially overrated films, I came out a little disappointed. I felt there was something missing from the film for it to deserve as much praise as it had received. As of yet, I have not quite put my finger on it. I originally perceived the screenplay to be perhaps a little too clichéd and unoriginal before remembering that it is a factual docudrama on King George VI and his battle to 'gain a voice'. Eventually I decided that I wasn't going to see a Stanley Kubrick film or, in other words, something both weird and wonderful. Instead, I had gone to see a fantastic period drama with fantastic performances from almost all of it's cast.
Maybe I had tried to look for too many little gems having already found two in the performance from Collin Firth and its cinematography from Danny Cohen. Other notable praise should be given to Helena Bonham Carter (perhaps a career best) and Geoffrey Rush who both outshone many of their previous performances and roles. Despite such fantastic acting and imagery, a little nagging feeling deep withing me warns me not to praise this film as one of the greatest of this decade or to perhaps overrate. Nonetheless, The King's Speech is so far the best contender for the Academy Awards (I have yet to view True Grit) far surpassing any film of 2010. Ultimately with fantastic performances from its leading cast and stunningly brilliant Cinematography, The King's Speech is a triumphant period drama with perhaps a little something missing robbing it of the title of 'Modern Mastepiece'.