A very fine movie

Rating: 10/10 (28 December 2010)

This is one of the best movies I've seen in several years. It tells a moving story in a moving but never sentimental way. I was never bored for one instant. The acting is uniforming superlative. Colin Firth makes you feel Bertie's shame and anger at not being able to speak forcefully, not being able to do what his father, especially, but also his brother do so well, complicated by the fact that he has been raised never to express his feelings. If he doesn't get at least an Academy Award nomination for this role, I will be surprised and very much disgusted. Geoffrey Rush is funny but imposing as the speech therapist who has his own unsuccessful aspirations. The actor who plays Churchill SOUNDS like Churchill.
But this is basically a two-man show, like Amadeus, which its use of Mozart recalls to mind on occasion. And, as with Amadeus, both actors are completely up to the task.
My only criticism, and it is a mild one, is that Bertie comes off as a rather weak individual, though various characters keep saying that is is strong. I think it would have helped if, early in the movie, we had been given a few instances of his strength and perseverance. All we see is a man who is terrified of speaking into a microphone who cries a lot.
But that is very minor indeed.
To me, this is very definitely a 10. A movie that could be seen more than once with a great deal of enjoyment.