A Flawless Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (8 December 2006)

Where conventional films lack in strong craftsmanship, great acting, story, character arc, crisis and climax, "The Queen" seems to effortlessly execute all within this tight biopic about the tragedy of Princess Diana's death and the demands made on the royal family by the people.
It was a perfect reflection of our society today, where people's connection to celebrity, or in this case royalty, is so strong, it can gravitate to the level of obsessiveness or even tragedy. This theme starts off this soaring masterpiece with the car accident that took Princess Di's life. Wasn't it the paparazzi photographers who was partly responsible for this untimely death? And isn't the demands of the inquiring minds of the public that only fuel the tabloids paying the paparazzi top dollar for such pictures? Then when a tragedy occurs such as this, it's the same public that grieves the most.
What disturbed me was the demands the people made on The Queen to join them in their mourning for the princess. The threats and criticism she received from the people, was it necessary? They spewed hateful rhetoric about The Queen's lack of remorse concerning the incident. The people's invested interest in Princess Diana's passing should never cloud rational thinking then be insisted upon the monarchy. But it was, which gives this story a grim look at us as a people.
The excellent performance by Michael Sheen as Prime Minister Tony Blair makes one reflect on the business of politics.
Helen Mirren was mesmerizing as The Queen, which should solidify her for a 2006 Best Leading Actress Oscar.
The screenplay was near perfection, with witty dialogue, fleshed out characters and unforgettable character arcs.
So far, this is the first film I am giving a ten to this year, making it my Best Picture of 2006.