The King's Speech (2010)

The King's Speech is a remarkable movie, that hits all the right notes. It's really not a surprise to me that it received 12 Academy Award Nominations. It deserves the attention. I was interested, but not exactly full of expectations as to how good it would be. With Colin Firth, and Geoffrey Rush, I knew the acting would be stellar.

Firth blew me away with his portrayal of Prince Albert (Duke of York, future King George VI). He was so believable, and his stammer (stutter) was so real, it frustrated me at times. I truly felt sorry for him, even though he was royalty. His stammer made him human.

Albert's wife Elizabeth, expertly played by Helena Bonham Carter, hires therapist after therapist, with no luck. Albert's stammer seems incurable. In a last attempt to find help for her husband, she meets with an Australian speech therapist, who has moved to London, named Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Lionel insists on having the sessions in his office, and that Albert see him as an equal. This leads to the first real friendship Albert has ever known, that carries over when he becomes King George VI, and has to make a speech declaring war with Germany.

The King's Speech has a lot to offer. Not only is the acting superior, but the story is the classic tale of someone overcoming adversity to achieve true greatness. It's also a story about friendship, and how honesty, and equality are a must. It's a movie that will help you understand the humiliation, and self loathing that those with a stutter tend to experience. 

It affected me. When a movie does that, it deserves some praise.

Rated R, Runtime 118mns