more royal drama

Rating: 6/10 (11 February 2011)

The Brits do so love their celluloid royal myth-making. With The King's Speech bullying the awards season as I write, it seems the appetite for dramas on the human frailties of these oh-so-put-upon super-rich pampered layabouts has yet to be satiated.
Dodgy socio-politics aside, this is an entertaining representation of the challenges faced by a young woman who most think of in terms of an icon of empire and grief. Emily Blunt, so erotic and chilling in My Summer of Love, is much more gritty here as the young princess stifled by the competing claims of wannabe advisers and mentors. Rupert Friend is given the daunting task of bringing to life a man most famous for dying on his wife. Albert's challenge is less to win her heart than to win her mind. In that he competes with Lord Melbourne (a perfectly restrained Paul Bettany), and that three-way intrigue throws up enough drama and twists to compel viewing. In wonderful counterpoint to this is Jim Broadbent as a mad King William, played full throttle for camp.
Engaging enough as royal dramas go, the high production values and fine performances make Young Victoria worth seeing.