The Queen - History Repeating Itself

Rating: 9/10 (12 March 2009)

It must have been very difficult to make a film so well while basing it on recently remembered events. But there is nothing at all "movie of the week" about The Queen. Despite the misleading title, which would be better suited to a more complete biographical treatment, the film is expertly crafted to illustrate specific events in the history of the British monarchy. Actual news footage is interwoven with wonderfully written scenes to create a fascinating look behind palace walls during a time of crisis. This technique, combining the "real" image with "imagined" history simultaneously brings the audience into the center of conversations as they might have happened, which makes them appear quite realistic while also flashing before our memories images recycled from TV that we cannot forget, in new ways. We are re-orienting our own remembered interpretations of the actual past as we watch interpretations of history re-enacted. The mix successfully blurs the line between truth and fiction.
Amazingly, nearly all of the characters exhibit a depth and complexity that is generally absent from film. Forgoing the temptation to cast characters as either villains or heroes, familiar personalities in this film are given the luxury of expressing thought, holding genuine points of view and even exhibiting the capacity for growth. Most importantly, Helen Mirren is so convincing in the title role that although the actual Queen Elizabeth II is extremely well documented and presently with us, the portrait is so well drawn that the audience feels as if we have spent time in "the presence" ourselves. Surprisingly, none of the other characters- the Prince of Wales, Tony Blair, The Queen Mother or Prince Philips even remotely resemble their real-life counterparts in appearance. But there is not a mis-step to be found in any of the acting here, except perhaps one scene when The Queen may have walked a little too quickly for her age. But then again, the real Queen Elizabeth II remains quite active years after the events in this film.