Very well-made, but a bit shallow

Rating: 8/10 (22 February 2007)

Exceptionally well-acted and well-written, though it ultimately feels a bit shallow. Perhaps it's because of the relatively short running time, but I felt the film never really expanded on the themes it was presenting. The story it tells is interesting enough, but it doesn't seem to have much resonance. That said, I found the inside look at the royal family quite enlightening, though I'm doubtful as to the authenticity, and I liked the fact that this was history that I actually was familiar with. Mirren gives a layered, effective performance, as does Michael Sheen - though he grinned a bit too much - and I really found no weak links in the cast. The script is smart and witty, and the score is quite excellent as well. Very well-made, though it didn't have a great impact on me.