Solid acting but little substance

Rating: 5/10 (27 August 2016)

A nice feel-good movie about the Duke of York, later to be King George VI, who has a stammer that nobody's been able to cure. He's consulted every expert available but found no help, until his wife finds a self-taught speech therapist with no medical degree in a shoddy basement in Harley Street. Friendship ensues, and the Duke/King gradually gains confidence in himself. The film culminates with the King's speech at the outbreak of World War II.
It's a movie full of British acting greats, such as Colin FIrth, Jennifer Ehle, David Bamber (who were all in the BBC's Pride and Prejudice from 1995); Michael Gambon, Helena Bonham Carter, Timothy Spall (from Harry Potter), and other old acquaintances such as Anthony Andrews, Geoffrey Rush, and Derek Jacobi.
In spite of that, the film doesn't have a lot of substance. It's cute and it's nice to watch, but in the end it's about a British royal's speech impediment, with some flimsy psychological friendship blahblah thrown in. I give it a five out of ten for good acting and atmosphere, and a technically good script. Do watch it if you come across it, but spend no money on it.