Wednesday, September 14, 2011
B-B-B -BUDDIES
Today's film was
Like a finely tuned auto, this British half history half cornball movie speeds to the gate and runs around the curves very smoothly for almost two hours.
There is no denying that it is a good film. It has good actors although I think the wrong actor won the Oscar, as much as I enjoy Colin Firth, it is the stammering stuff that gets the attention.
More subtly Guy Pierce is the one I want to see more of as the King who loved a divorced commoner. He is great in an unlovable role.
It is also more Geoffrey Rush's film then Firth's. Rush is an executive producer and has the time and talent to steal almost every scene. He gets the meat. Firth gets the potatoes.
So, here we are again with an Oscar film that really isn't as good as it wants or we want it to be.
Helena Bonham Carter is underused. More simpering and a good wife to Bertie with no sex spark between the two whatsoever. Well, they are British.
Does it sound like I didn't like the film? Sure I did. It is calculated down to the last frame to please. This is reminiscent of the Weinstein product when they were still producing with Disney.
Derek Jacoby, Michael Gambon and a woofed up and over the top Timothy Spall as Churchill round out the all star cast. Claire Bloom, who I have not seen in years, was the Queen Mother. Ice.
The best part of it is when Bertie sees a newsreel of Hitler mesmerizing a crowd. He gets that he must do this thing and become equal to the other voice.
I will give it a Netflix3. I liked it well enough but once around is sufficient, thank you.
It didn't get a NYTimes Critics' Pick either.
Labels: films
