myETVmedia has two points of view on this one

Rating: 5/10 (7 October 2010)

God Save "The King's Speech" Nothing short of a miracle will. The story, as laboriously related by director Tom Hooper and writer David Seidler, follows King George VI as he battles with a speech impediment. Normally, confessions of ineptitude are kept quietly behind closed doors; in The King's Speech,' the audience is forced to witness the misbegotten disaster of great actors portraying poor characters. ((Spoiler Alert)) The most comedic and engaging scene is when George (Firth) erupts in a conniption of abandon, yelling "s***, s*** , s***!". Yes, indeed! Humor better left in grade school warrants the command — "refrain from wiping with the celluloid!" Despite it's major missteps and ponderous character, the film is not without merits. When the camera rests still, the viewer is able to overcome the nausea created by the excessive and incorrect use of both depth-of-field, lighting, and the close-up. The few medium and long shots are easily missed, likely due to the lack of action in the writing. The film's saving grace is the set design. The classical use of repetition, color, and textures make the film bearable alongside the shining cast.