Disappointing

Rating: 5/10 (23 January 2007)

A very disappointing film and totally overrated. Helen Mirren's excellent acting cannot detract from the fact that she is physically wrong for the part. She seems too serene and sophisticated. More like an older Diana. I wondered if this was perhaps the intention of Stephen Frears to make this a feature of how Diana's death was having such an impact on the lives of the Royals. After all they all thought she was "out of her mind" and a "walking cannon". After the Queen reluctantly delivered her obituary speech for Diana she was reported as saying "Was that moving enough for you?" To me a much less worldly character portrayal would have made a more interesting contrast. After all we witnessed her Majesty on BBC programs,etc which should have shown her ordinariness and served as a guide. The Queen is a well known huntress and even strangled a wounded bird at one time. I felt no particular sympathy for this character, even though the well written and directed film urged me to do so.