Just like the monarch she portrays, Helen Mirren
reigns over this understated film with power and grace. It’s
hard to find a flaw in this film, but despite all its strengths,
it’s Mirren who will stick with you after the film ends.
It’s a performance worthy of all the awards and acclaim,
and the crowning achievment of a successful career.
The Queen follows the British royal
family, and especially Queen Elizabeth II (Mirren), in the
week following the tragic death of Princess Diana in 1997.
Not only are the inner workings of a public family dealing
with personal tragedy the emotional core of the film, but
the driving conflict is that of Elizabeth’s traditional
sensibilities and the modern world, represented by newly elected
Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen.)
Any film focusing so closely on one character,
as The Queen does on Elizabeth, essentially places
its success in that actor’s hands. Director Stephen
Frears had very little to worry about when he handed the film
over to veteran performer Helen Mirren. Her powerful and realistic
portrayal of Her Majesty ranks not only among the best performances
of 2006, but of the last decade.
Sadly, Mirren’s brilliance has eclipsed
the other phenomenal performances the film offers. Most notable
are Michael Sheen’s charismatic portrayal of Prime Minister
Tony Blair, James Cromwell’s cynical Prince Philip,
and Alex Jenning’s conflicted Prince Charles. The film
deals almost equally with Blair’s perspective, as he
attempted to save the Queen from the public ridicule she received
as a result to her original handling of the situation, and
how he guided her to a successful resolution.
The film is surprisingly praising of Blair,
which is ironic not only for a film entitled The Queen,
but also considering his current political demise and disapproval.
Conversely, the movie provides a very critical take on the
Queen and the monarchy as a whole, and while showing Elizabeth
as a highly sympathetic person, does not seem to side with
her on her handling of Diana’s death.
Stylistically, the film has several mentionable
elements that heighten the success of the piece. The Queen
is a brilliant example of dramatic tension. While very little
actually happens and the film is mostly dialogue-based, the
conflict is set up so well from the start, with the establishment
of the national and political trend toward modernization and
the Royals’ disapproval of Diana, that it’s a
powder keg waiting to ignite. The tone of the film and the
sense of realism is augmented by Frears’ inclusion of
actual or recreated media footage. This also strengthens the
establishment of Diana as an extremely public figure.
The theme of traditionalism in opposition to
modernization is enhanced by Alexandre Desplat’s compelling
score. He does an excellent job of combining a more traditional
regal orchestration with a repetitive modern staccato beat
reminiscent of a nightly newscast. This combination not only
highlights the underlying conflict of the film, but increases
the tension and adds considerable weight to the film’s
action.
In all, The Queen is film worthy of
its illustrious title. Helmed by the Frears’ masterful
hand, and featuring the magic of Mirren’s transformation
into her inspiration, this ship sails cleanly from port to
its destination. Easily among the best films of 2006, The
Queen should have a long reign as an example of dramatic
cinema and class.
