expertly played but not too intriguing

Rating: 7/10 (6 November 2006)

It is at once a human drama with heart and a nice comedy. Helen Mirren's performance is excellent but doesn't get to humanize her majesty though; "The Queen" gives both moments of humor and dramatic situations and would define it an intelligent docudrama, since it manages to turn a slice of history into agreeable entertainment, without ever being too sentimental or didactic. The circumstances told in this movie are obviously tragic and Frears has given us a glimpse of the backstage, showing the audience the terrible way the royal family handled the tragedy. The story mixes wit, compassion and drama, nevertheless the result could have been more entertaining and acute.