The King's Speech

What’s the story?
Prince Albert, the Duke of York (Firth), has always hid in the shadow of his older brother, Edward. Suffering from a debilitating stammer throughout his life, he has resigned himself (quite happily) to a quiet life with his family - away from the throne. However, his royal status requires him to speak publically, a problematic task due to his speech impediment. His wife, Elizabeth (Bonham Carter), is concerned for him, and seeks the help of an Australian speech therapist she found in the classifieds. Lionel Logue (Rush) is eccentric, irreverent, and insists on calling the Duke by his family nickname, "Bertie." After a rocky start, the unlikely duo embark on quirky therapy sessions, and an eventual friendship that would carry the future king through the most terrifying period of his life - leading his country into battle with a radio broadcast that will be remembered for decades to come.
 
Why see it?
Director Tom Hooper breathes modern life into what could have been one of many British dramas, and creates a masterpiece that is truly deserving of the recent award buzz. Colin Firth delivers a top notch performance as a rigid, reluctant monarch forced to take on unimaginable responsibility. Eccentric speech therapist Lionel Logue is brought to life by Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter’s portrayal of the young "Queen Mum" is one of witty confidence as she stands behind her husband. The royal couple is portrayed with believable love and loyalty, and the unlikely friendship between Logue and Albert is ripe with dry one-liners. This king’s quest to overcome his stammer is essentially a contemporary tale of finding the voice inside each one of us. An excellent score by Alexandre Desplat, and close attention to Depression-era detail sets the atmosphere for what has been heralded by many as the “best film of the year.”
 
Problems?
Trivial, but worth a mention. One of Logue’s speech exercises involves Albert rattling off a stream of profanities that may not be appropriate for young children. Around three brief, comedic scenes play upon this.  
 
All in all:
An empowering piece that inspires with eloquence