Good but not great

Rating: 7/10 (2 February 2011)

Good things about this film: Colin Firth's acting, the underplayed emotion, the occasional humour, being based on a true story.
Thinhgs I didn't enjoy: the slow pace, the long close-ups, Helena Bonham Carter's performance (no offence to the lady herself, I just couldn't reconcile her with my memories of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother), and the (all too usual) portrayal of senior churchmen as either incompetent or self-serving. I also found some of the supporting cast one-dimensional: Churchill presented views that hindsight says he should have had, rather than those he actually held at the time; the King's daughters were presented as fresh-faced kids, with no hint of the forces or pressures that would shape their future destinies; and Jennifer Ehle as Logue's wife had very little to do.
In summary: if your job, or someone you know, is connected with therapy, you'll love it. If you're a big fan of everything about royalty, you'll also lap it up. If you're a serious history buff, you'll only be slightly impressed. If you like fast moving action films rather than emotional stories, don't bother.