April 25, 2007
The Queen
Given that my reaction on learning of the death of Princess Diana ten years ago was more curmudgeonly than compassionate, I had little interest in seeing a movie about the actions of Queen Elizabeth II in the days following the fatal car crash.
However, since practically every writer whose opinion I value has been praising The Queen in euphoric terms, I decided to give it a look. I'm glad I did.
It's a surprisingly moving, funny, and engrossing film, thanks in no small part to the justly praised performance of Helen Mirren in the title role.
And while it hasn't changed my view of Diana, a woman who made a conscious decision to enter the royal family, it does confirm my feeling about Elizabeth herself, who was born into the family. The angry dressing-down that Tony Blair gives to one of his staffers near the end of the film pretty much sums up my views.
Posted by jt at April 25, 2007 04:47 PM