Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister Tony Blair deal with the loss of Princess Diana in the drama THE QUEEN. This fictional account follows the aftermath of Diana’s death in her home country of England, specifically from the perspectives of its two most powerful citizens, Queen Elizabeth II and recently elected Prime Minister Tony Blair. While the two confront their country’s mourning, both the queen and the prime minister must weigh England’s customs, politics and the emotional weight of the situation.
The tone and texture of THE QUEEN is much like it’s portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, refined, intriguing and sympathetically distant and detached. The film’s greatest strength is also its greatest weakness, a calculated and mannered style which lends itself towards admiration rather than emotion. The core of this picture deals with the Queen’s internal struggle in deciding between England’s past and its future. Mirren is very good, providing a character rather than a mere impersonation, finding the complexity of the situation, without overreaching or dramatizing it. Sheen is just as good. With Blair just taking office, Sheen reveals the natural apprehensiveness anyone would feel in dealing with a British icon like Queen Elizabeth, but also a gentle fortitude that stems from a great leader. The interaction between the queen and the prime minister is a real treat, watching two refined individuals dance with their differing perspectives, while finding common ground.
Grade: B-
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