Firth and Rush on top form

Rating: 10/10 (1 February 2011)

As the credits rolled at the end of this movie when I saw it at a local cinema on New Years Eve last, a group of patrons broke out in spontaneous applause - something very rare these days - and I felt that I had been rewarded with a rare film-going experience. For me, this is by far the best film I have seen in a decade.
It is worth seeing this film just to enjoy the scenes involving Colin Firth (as the King) and Geoffrey Rush (as Lionel Logue, the speech therapist.) Their time together on screen ripples with energy and tension. Their Academy Award nominations are well-deserved. Colin Firth is probably a shoe-in, as his portrayal of the stammering Bertie is nothing short of flawless. Rush and Bonham-Carter may have to be satisfied with just the nominations they each so richly earned.
There is much depth of talent in the cast - Timothy Spall, Guy Pearce, Derek Jacobi, Jennifer Ehle, Michael Gambon, Claire Bloom - and it seemed liked so many actors of class and experience were willing to climb aboard.
But the highest accolades must go to Director, Tom Hooper, and screenwriter, David Seidler. This film never strayed from the point. It is not really a biopic, and it is not really historical. It is a story about one man's personal struggle, and the people who helped him overcome his obstacles. The fact that this man was the King Of England at a time when leadership was required just complicated his personal difficulties. I found it to be a very moving experience.