see it for the music and costumes

Rating: 8/10 (8 July 2010)

This movie is all about atmosphere. It very successfully recreates the era of Queen Victoria's early life, just before and after her coming to the throne. The performances by the main characters are generally good though not spectacular. The only ones that I found particularly endearing were King William (Jim Broadbent, has he ever been less than brilliant?) and Viscount Melbourne (Paul Bettany), neither of whom were principal characters. And the story line has some weaknesses: it seems to peak a little early, and ends at what seems like an arbitrary moment in history.
All that being said, there are many good reasons to see this fabulous film: (1) the costumes are just absolutely gorgeous, and there are so many of them. Scene after scene is filled with gowns that are to-die-for. (2) the gardens and palaces at which the movie was filmed are also beautiful; many are recognizable landmarks in their own right (Ham House which stands in for Kensington Palace, Hampton Court). (3) The period atmosphere is impeccably presented, transporting the viewer to another world.
But most importantly, (4) the soundtrack. I was blown away by the way in which the music integrates themes from classic compositions (Handel, Dvorak, Schubert, et al.) and weaves them into new forms that align perfectly with the action of the movie. You hear the music, and for a while you think, "hey, that sounds familiar, have I heard that before?" and soon it transforms itself from a contemporary composition into the actual classical piece. My explanation doesn't do it justice, you'll have to see/hear it to understand.
Altogether, a rich, lush, very romantic movie about the early Romantic period, a delight for both the eyes and ears.