A disappointingly claustrophobic play at sympathy for someone so out of touch with her 'subjects.' And why blow it up for the big screen? . . . Where's the arc? The tragic flaw? The ebbs and flows to her character? . . . A middle-of-the-pack chamber drama
The Queen (2006)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 178
Fresh: 171
Rotten:7
Average Rating: 8.4/10
Consensus: Full of wit, humor, and pathos, Stephen Frears’ moving portrait of the British royals during the period after Princess Diana's death features not one but two remarkable performances, that of Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II and Michael Sheen as the newly-ordained Prime Minister Tony Blair. They embody their characters and lay bare the motivations behind these prominent people, giving viewers a glimpse into the inner workings of the British monarchy.
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release: Oct 6, 2006 Limited
Box Office: $56,222,759
Synopsis: Helen Mirren delivers a royally stirring performance as Queen Elizabeth II in Stephen Frears's fictional romp, THE QUEEN. The year is 1997, and Great Britain has a newly elected prime minister, the youthful, optimistic Tony Blair... Helen Mirren delivers a royally stirring performance as Queen Elizabeth II in Stephen Frears's fictional romp, THE QUEEN. The year is 1997, and Great Britain has a newly elected prime minister, the youthful, optimistic Tony Blair (Michael Sheen). In Buckingham Palace, the Queen doesn't appear to be fazed by Blair's arrival. Then again, she doesn't appear to be fazed by anything. But when Diana--her son's ex-wife and the mother of her grandchildren--is killed in a tragic car accident, her authority is tested as never before. While the Queen Mother (Sylvia Syms) and Prince Philip (James Cromwell) agree with her decision to remain at their holiday estate in Balmoral and not publicly acknowledge the tragedy, Tony Blair feels differently. Unfortunately, so do the English people. Making matters worse is the out-of-control media, which has begun to castigate the queen for her silence. In order to retain her grip on the country that she has served for so many years, she must swallow her pride and let the world know that she does, in fact, care. With THE QUEEN, the consistently superior Frears (DIRTY PRETTY THINGS, DANGEROUS LIAISONS) strikes once again. Peter Morgan's devilishly clever script provides the foundation, but the expert performances are what make the film such an exhilarating ride. What begins as a humorous critique of the stuffy royal family becomes an unexpectedly sympathetic portrait of a woman who carries the weight of a nation on her shoulders. This film was chosen to be the opening night selection of the 44th New York Film Festival organized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. [More]
Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Sylvia Syms
Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Sylvia Syms, Alex Jennings, Roger Allam, Helen McCrory
Director: Stephen Frears
Director: Stephen Frears
Screenwriter: Peter Morgan
Producer: Andy Harries, Tracey Seaward, Christine Langan
Composer: Alexander Desplat
Studio: Miramax Films
Get This Movie
Release:
Apr 24, 2007
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Keep Case
- Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - Spanish
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English
- Subtitles - Spanish - Optional
Additional Release Material:
- Audio Commentary - 1. Robert Lacey - British Historian
- 2. Stephen Frears - Director; Peter Morgan - Writer
- Behind the Scenes - "The Making of THE QUEEN"
Reviews for The Queen
Like the Queen, Mirren is saying: This is how you act, this is how you survive, this is how you reign.
I was to this film. It's slow and plodding throughout, yet the format Frears brings to the table is gripping in its balance.
...a compelling drama that effectively humanizes the title character...
An intelligent script that keeps in the spirit and tone of Britain's House of Mountbatten-Windsor, and yet slyly manages a wink at the audience every now and then.
To his credit, Frears doesn't try to solicit too much sympathy for his Queen, but the film goes down the navel-gazing rabbit hole just the same.
... beneath the simple and straightforward facade lies a hidden depth that does not announce itself with dramatic intensity ...
The serio-comic approach offers a confusing portrait of the Queen's public and private faces: part sober drama, part high camp, part soap opera, and part right royal romp.
Un retrato íntimo e interesante en el que lo más sobresaliente es, por lejos, la sobria composición de Helen Mirren.
The remarkable achievement is not just in Helen Mirren's performance -- but in the sly, often almost imperceptible observations of how violently worlds can collide with a fleeting word, a subtle gesture.
...the portrayal is no mere imitation; Mirren creates a living, breathing Queen Elizabeth that goes beyond the public image.
It's all strongly performed, and smartly assembled in its scene-to-scene progression, despite Frears' continued disinterest in visual filmmaking
Stephen Frears masterfully articulates public outrage over the Queen's treatment of the tragedy that enabled Prime Minister Tony Blair to capture the imagination of Britain.
Mirren is every inch the queen, and in this moving story she reigns supreme.
Latest News for The Queen
October 25, 2007:
Hollywood Braces for Writers' Strike
We're just a few days away from the Writers Guild strike deadline, and things aren't looking good. More...
October 02, 2007:
Peter Morgan Preps Sequel to The Queen
Peter Morgan has taken his "Blair trilogy" from The Deal to The Queen -- and now, Variety reports, he's preparing the third installment. More...
September 11, 2007:
Toronto Film Fest: Ang Lee's Lust, Caution Reviewed
Among the higher profile entries in Toronto, Ang Lee's Lust, Caution had a particular notoriety coming in; not only were fest-watchers waiting to confirm or contradict the early... More...
March 16, 2007:
The Weekly Ketchup: "Spider-Man" Sans Tobey Maguire(?), "Transformers," "Superman Returns" Sequel, And More!
In this week's Ketchup, producer Avi Arad talks "Spider-Man"'s future, with or without Tobey Maguire, Shia LaBeouf explains how "Transformers" avoided an R... More...
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