Review - The King’s Speech

The King’s Speech is the story of King George VI, his unexpected and rapid ascension to the throne and the obstacles he had to overcome in order to deliver a radio address that inspired his people and united them in the face of World War II.

There is already a considerable Oscar buzz surrounding The King’s Speech, and with good reason. It is not even a year since Colin Firth was nominated for an Academy Award for his brilliant and moving performance in A Single Man, and in The King’s Speech, Firth once again reminds us how great an actor he truly is.

Colin Firth often gets dismissed as a serious actor, mainly due to his roles in fluffy comedies like Bridget Jones’s Diary and Mamma Mia!, but his role as King George VI is brilliant and moving. King George VI struggled with a life long stammer, but the advent of radio as a means of communication, and as the wartime leader of the British Empire he had to overcome this. Firth immediately wins the audience’s compassion as he struggles through a public address that is not only nerve wracking, but highly embarrassing – how can a voiceless leader ever really be heard? Firth’s brilliance is in his attention to detail; such as the almost physical discomfort of the speech impediment, the frustration and anger it causes, as well as the actual portrayal of the impediment that cuts the King nicknamed “Bertie” off from the real world.

Geoffrey Rush, as speech therapist Lionel Logue, is a great partner for Firth’s King Bertie. The role is far less flashy than those we are used to seeing Rush in of late, but as the speech therapist who teases and tests Bertie, he is a fine foil to both actor and character. Helena Bonham Carter returns to her acting roots in this period film, where she plays Bertie’s gentle and supportive wife. She is, as usual, on fine form and it shows. The only slightly strange casting choice is Guy Pearce as Bertie’s older brother, Edward. Pearce plays the role well, but he is seven years younger than Firth, and he looks it. This is slightly jarring, but he is in so little of the film that it is quickly forgotten.

Director Tom Hooper decided to tell this story simply. He does not delve into the politics behind Edward’s abdication or have showy flashbacks to the reasons for Bertie’s stammer. Instead, he allows Bertie to tell his story himself and it is in this simplicity that the audience can truly feel the effect that Bertie’s childhood had on him. Hooper’s attention to period detail is charming; in particular the beautiful decay of Logue’s office.

Overall, The King’s Speech meanders from time to time, but this story of a man making a real human connection for what is very possibly the first time, while overcoming his childhood demons and physical impediments is charming and much lighter than might be expected. Yes, this is a story of the British monarchy, but it is much more than that. It is the story of a man trapped inside himself who must find a way out, not only for himself, but for the sake of his country. Firth is fantastic, and if there is any justice in the world, he will follow up his Golden Globe nod with an Academy Award nomination… and maybe even a win.