For all the technical merits of a film, this one is astounding. The script feels organic and real. The art direction and set decoration evoke London in the first part of the 20th century perfectly, and even occasionally aid in your understanding of character. The direction is subtle and at times sublime, and the (Oscar winning) director has a unique and interesting eye. He frames his shots in unusual ways that are often artistic, occasionally slightly jarring, once or twice bordering on avant garde, but always interesting to look at, and often quite beautiful. (The king and his therapist walking through a park, the camera tracking in front of them, and everything vanishing behind them in the brightly lit, starkly white London fog as they walk. It's one of my favorite moments.)
The acting is absolutely perfect all around, especially Colin Firth, whose performance not only deserved the Oscar it won him, but deserves to be remembered as one of the finest performances of the early 21st century. I'm not exaggerating. A friend was impressed with his stammer, how real and organic it was, rising and falling with his emotions. For me it was far more than that. Watch his eyes. I've always thought the best performances happen in the eyes. He is completely earnest.
As a whole, though, this movie was not greater than the sum of it's phenomenal parts. Between moments of great drama and moments of surprisingly high humor, it seemed to drag, and I found my attention starting to wander. It would always come back around, but the very fact of it prevents me from giving the film a full 5 stars. I should note however by the end I was wholly absorbed again, and the film finishes with an emotional wallop. It's nice when a movie honestly brings out happy tears.
The acting is absolutely perfect all around, especially Colin Firth, whose performance not only deserved the Oscar it won him, but deserves to be remembered as one of the finest performances of the early 21st century. I'm not exaggerating. A friend was impressed with his stammer, how real and organic it was, rising and falling with his emotions. For me it was far more than that. Watch his eyes. I've always thought the best performances happen in the eyes. He is completely earnest.
As a whole, though, this movie was not greater than the sum of it's phenomenal parts. Between moments of great drama and moments of surprisingly high humor, it seemed to drag, and I found my attention starting to wander. It would always come back around, but the very fact of it prevents me from giving the film a full 5 stars. I should note however by the end I was wholly absorbed again, and the film finishes with an emotional wallop. It's nice when a movie honestly brings out happy tears.
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