Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen and James Cromwell
‘A Captivating Classic’
Few actresses in Hollywood have achieved the recognition of Helen Mirren. Ever since her rise to stardom in the 1960’s, Mirren has become a legendary icon. Whether it’s majestic queens, housekeepers or political leaders, Mirren has portrayed several strong characters. Shining a bright light in darkness, she has turned into an icon in the entertainment business. Arguably, Mirren’s greatest strength as an actress has always been her bravery. She is one of those rare actresses that has never been afraid of taking on risky roles. Mirren’s willingness to take risks has resulted in unforgettable performances. Mirren has had an image of being an actress which has great courage. Mirren’s strong commitment to playing each character has made her a beloved icon in the world of entertainment. A legendary icon with immense charisma, Mirren has stood the test of time as an icon in Cinema. Throughout her long-lasting career, Mirren has crafted many memorable films which are definitely without a doubt worth seeing.
I’m a huge fan of Mirren and adore all the films she has made throughout her career. However, “The Queen” may be my favourite. Ever since its release in 2007, Helen Mirren’s movie has stood the test of time as a classic. Packed with strong production, engaging storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s one of the best films ever made about the royal family. At the centre of it all is a phenomenal performance by Helen Mirren, who embodies a majestic Queen going on journeys to discover her identity. Ultimately, what makes “The Queen” a royal masterpiece is its message. The film delivers a meaningful message about royal families which resonates with everyone. Unlike most movies about the royal family, it tackles universal themes which everyone relates to. A remarkable masterpiece about the Royal family, there are many strong reasons why “The Queen” is a movie which is worth watching.
Based on real-life events, “The Queen” tells a true story of a queen struggling to manage her country. Helen Mirren plays Elizabeth, a Royal queen that has loved guiding her country. The Queen has always thrived at managing rules of her country. However, the Queen’s hopes to manage her country are threatened following the death of Princess Diana causing disasters. Faced with public scrutiny, the Queen wonders whether she would ever be able to manage a stressful country. To cope with the devastating death of Diana, the Queen engages in meeting with Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen). Meeting the Prime Minister on a regular basis gives the Queen a chance to cope with a grim death of an icon. As all the odds are stacked against her favour, the Queen starts to wonder whether she will ever recover from the death of a beloved member of her family which causes disaster.
Stephen Frears is a newcomer toward stories of majestic queens. Before he had directed “The Queen”, Frears had never made a movie about the royal family. Frears was well-known for making period dramas set in Britain. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture lives of majestic queens facing barriers but he pulled it off successfully. Using bold cinematography, Frears captures hardships endured by queens embarking on journeys to discover identities. Visually, the film is a feast for the eyes that is as stunning as goals majestic queens seek to materialize. Frears effectively uses archival footage to honour the memory of a princess which has passed away. Throughout the film, Frears uses ingenious archival footage which honours Princess Diana’s legacy. For instance, the archival footage elevates the royal family speech scene. During this memorable scene, Prime Minister Tony Blair delivers an emotional speech honouring the memory of a deceased princess. One acknowledged montages which capture hardships royal families go through. Montages are tricky techniques to use in films. As Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” suggested clearly, montages enhance movies about poetic toys produced out of plastic. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through engrossing visuals, Frears captures queens embarking on journeys that are life-changing.
Another admirable aspect of “The Queen” is the production-design. From a technical point of view, the film is extremely well made. Frears is one of those filmmakers that has always excelled at designing sets for his movies, and “The Queen” is no exception. Frears beautifully used production design to capture queens facing a decline. Throughout the film, Frears uses gorgeous sets capturing the rich life of a wealthy queen. Frears’ decisions to shoot the movie in real life majestic locations is risky but works tremendously. For instance, the set-design elevates the prime minister meeting scene. During this heartfelt scene, the Queen meets Prime Minister Blair following the death of Princess Diana causing despair. One admires production-design which captures royal families which shine. Moreover, the musical score is phenomenal. Alexandre Desplat’s music is integral towards success of the movie. It gives the film a tense atmosphere capturing painful burden Royal families often bear. Through exceptional production, Frears captures the tension faced by queens which struggle managing a nation.
Storytelling is one of the reasons why “The Queen” is a film about the royal family that’s compelling. The movie is beautifully written, and effectively uses silence to capture lives of queens struggling to cope with a frightening incidence. Frears’ screenwriting strength is his abilities to capture the lives of queens dealing with tragedy through silence. Throughout the movie, Frears uses silence to signify tensions endured by a queen. For instance, the silence elevates the death aftermath scene. During this unforgettable scene, the Queen adopts an attitude of silence following the heartbreaking news of Diana’s death causing trauma. Silence Is a tricky technique to employ in movies. As Sacha Gervais’ “Hitchcock” claimed, silence enhances biopics about famous filmmakers. That being said, it works tremendously in this movie. Through a superb screenplay, Frears captures the hardship experienced by queens facing a price to pay.
One admires astonishing performances.
Helen Mirren delivers one of her best career performances as the Queen. Mirren achieved appreciation for playing majestic women in celebrated period pieces. With “The Queen”, however, she took on her most emotional role. It isn’t easy to embody the personality of a majestic queen but Mirren succeeded. This is the actress unlike you’ve ever seen her in the past before: intense, charismatic and sharp in her most memorable role. Mirren has always had an aptitude for conveying strong emotions through monologues, and “The Queen” showcased her strengths as an actress. It’s a role that gave the actress a chance to showcase her flair for playing ferocious women in positions of power. With riveting expressions, she captures the angst, desperation and leadership of a queen embarking on a challenging journey to discover identity. It’s a commemorated performance from one of the finest actresses from Britain currently working in the industry.
While the film is mainly a stunning showcase for Helen Mirren, the supporting cast is also spectacular and worthy of praise. Michael Sheen is marvellous, capturing bravery of a prime minister that forms a strong friendship with a queen which becomes a pivotal part of his routine. James Cromwell is phenomenal, bringing courage to a monarch that struggles to cope with the death of his daughter causing damage. Lastly, Alex Jennings merits praise. As Prince Charles, he brings heartfelt emotion to the movie.
Finally, “The Queen” would earn the praise of everyone for honouring the life of a legendary queen. Unlike most films about Royal families, it tackles strong themes everyone would relate to. The film tackles powerful themes including identity, marriage and trauma which resonate with everyone. It delivers a powerful message about trauma which would resonate amongst everyone. Therefore, “The Queen” is one of those rare biopics about the royal family that everyone would adore.
Fans of Helen Mirren would definitely enjoy “The Queen” and so will movie-goers that seek exhilarating entertainment. A captivating classic about a legendary queen, it celebrates an actress whose movies deserve to be seen on the big-screen.
Nearly 30 years following the heartbreaking death of a legendary princess that left a majestic queen mourning facing media scrutiny in Great Britain which was revealing, it’s a riveting reminder of an actress that has earned a huge fan following gaining recognition for her abilities to play powerful women in positions of authority whose engaging movies which haven’t lost their abilities to captivate are definitely worth celebrating
5/5 stars
Edit”“The Queen” (2006) – Helen Mirren’s Magnificent Historical Masterpiece About Queen Elizabeth”
The Film Buff 