Mirren is amazing as the Queen of England

Rating: 9/10 (11 November 2006)

It didn't take long after meeting my wife to find she was an admirer of Princess Diana. Considering Diana's good looks, fashion sense, humanitarian work and popularity it was easy to understand her worldwide appeal.
With that in mind, on a weekend morning in August 1997, I crawled out of bed, turned on the "telly" to hear breaking news of a major car accident involving Lady Di in Paris. Knowing my wife would never forgive me for not waking her up, - I did. For the remainder of that morning and early afternoon we sat glued to our television trying to gain whatever information became available.
This film is an intimate look at how the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, had difficulty juggling her personal sentiments, royal tradition, and the feelings of her British subjects as the death of Lady Diana stuns all of England and the world.
I'm no expert on British royalty, however Helen Mirren* blew me away as the Queen. Her presence, her stiff upper lip, quiet grace, and overall royal behavior were pleasing to watch. She was able to manage this difficult role yet show a Queen who is not perfect, but was able to realize that fact and adjust to the needs of her people.
Mirren's performance is already generating lots of Oscar talk about a nod for Best Actress in a Leading role. After watching this film, I would have to agree.