The back story of a famous and historical speech.

Rating: 9/10 (20 February 2011)

This film had been heaped with praise before I saw it. I dislike having high expectations of a movie, and I was sure it would not live up to the "hype." However, I came away from the viewing with my expectations happily exceeded. The story was human, historical and well-told. The acting by all, including Helena Bonham-Carter, was outstanding. Perhaps needless to say, Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush both deserve Oscars. It was refreshing to be totally absorbed by a story and by the characters and their interactions instead of by violence, chase scenes and explosions. Despite the lack of "action," the movie kept my attention with the suspense that built naturally from the evolution of the speech. The relationships between the characters, the King and Queen, and the King and his therapist/friend were also well-developed. Since so much has been said about the two main characters, I want to add that Helena Bonham Carter's portrayal conveyed a queen who was loving, no-nonsense, traditional, but with a sense of humor. She also managed to balance the status issue with a healthy dose of down-to-earth-ness. I highly recommend this film.