A stunning stammering monarch

Rating: 10/10 (14 March 2011)

Before I went to the cinema to see "The King's Speech", I thought from what I'd read: How can you make an interesting movie out of that little plot? Then I saw the trailer and thought that it didn't look that overwhelming, so why twelve nominations for Oscar? And then I saw the movie.
It starts out with Colin Firth, who plays King George VI, who has to deliver a speech over the radio and really messes it up because he's stammering so hard. And after that the story develops into a king's fight for his own humanity. He fights against the fear of being a king, against his older brother who is too weak for the job and against all the pressure his father set upon him before he died. And there are only two people left to help him: His wife and a speech therapist from Australia called Lionel Logue who is perfectly played by Geoffrey Rush. And so, with uncommon methods and a huge amount of courage, they begin to prepare the king for his crowning ceremony and his first war speech during WWII.
To say it in short words: I was stunned. Overwhelmed. I don't know a word for it. I mean, it was really absorbing. Though the story is simple and told in a few words, the film really got me. It was thrilling somehow, thanks to the beautiful music. Especially during the ending speech the music and the great great acting of Colin Firth took me to the edge of my seat, kept me there for the whole, I don't know, about five minutes, and in the end all I wanted to do was stand up and clap my hands. Most of the movie is really carried by Colin Firth. I mean, Geoffrey Rush is perfect in his role, but Firth delivers every emotion and if you want or not, you have to like this helpless, stammering king. What also makes the movie very special is the directing. Tom Hooper does a great job creating the scenes, showing us the action from uncommon points of view, with well placed camera rides, funny ankles, capturing every emotion. Also the political and historical background fits the movie very well, especially because it remains a background and the focus stays on the man who wants to learn how to speak fluently.
All in all, a great film, touching, moving - near perfect I'd say.
P.S. I'm from Germany and saw the movie first in German, than in English. To everyone from my country who knows a little English: Don't go to the German version. Colin Firth stammers better and though it's really not hard to understand.