La reina

I saw her Elizabeth I not so long ago and I was bowled over by her fearlessness, I was moved, transported, amused. Now, Elizabeth II, the living Queen. Helen Mirren accomplishes the impossible. She lets us know the Queen, her Queen, without passing judgment. Just being her. I found myself understanding her dilemma in human terms. Something that she had done so brilliantly with Elizabeth I, she humanized her or rather she allows us to find the human creature behind the iconic façade. The difficulty of not falling into a caricature or a simple impersonation may have seemed insurmountable but here she is. Perfect, real, extraordinary. Long Live Helen Mirren!

How silly of me. I kept putting off seeing this movie because I had an acute case of "Dianaetis" Too much about the doomed princess of the people. Well, I was wrong. I was very, very, wrong. The film is a surprising, unpretentious masterpiece and I haven't mention Helen Mirren yet. Apart from the fact that it's a film perfectly suited to be seen in your own living room or like me, in bed, it's also cinema with capital letters. The illusion created by Helen Mirren's portrayal is total and I mean total, eerily so. There were moments in which I was seeing the real thing or the "royal" thing I should say. When Elizabeth II bows to pressure and returns to London and views first hand the overwhelming show of affection for Diana, something happens to her, we will never know what exactly, but something. That in itself is Helen Mirren's mastery. To tell us exactly that without revealing anything. Needless to say I'm buying the DVD. I know I will see this one many times.

Frears brilliantly recreates that royal events surrounding the tragic and sudden death of the people of England's beloved princess. The focus is on the royal family, particularly Queen Elizabeth and what may have gone in her mind during this ordeal. Frears attempts to give an impartial view of the event and sticks to the main point. He cleverly uses live footage of the late princess and combines it within the film. The cinematography and quick cuts are very effective. Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen give standout performances. No doubt it must have been difficult to play both parts but the two actors pull it off without hassle. Even as Queen Elizabeth (one of the most unsexiest queen), Mirren looks sexy and not in a way that distracts the viewer from the character. It's remarkable how she so accurately displays the nuances of the title character. I'm glad that Michael Sheen finally got a role to display his wonderful acting abilities. James Cromwell and Sylvia Sims are equally good in their roles respectively as the Queen's husband and mother. Helen McCrory makes Cherie Blair look pretty. My only small complaint is that, the film, at times, moves at a very slow pace but otherwise this is a well made movie that gives a glimpse of how the tragic event might have affected the royal family.

It's 1997. Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) and the Labour Party have just won a landslide victory. Then Princess Diane is killed in a Paris tunnel. The Queen (Helen Mirren) is reluctant to change any protocol. Prince Philip (James Cromwell) dismisses the tidal wave of grief. Blair tries to advise them despite their intransigence. Eventually the pressure becomes too overwhelming and the Royals must change with the times.

There are two great performances in this. There is also an interesting personal drama within this international story. The death of a princess may not be important in the grand scheme of it all, but it provides a backdrop for a compelling personal drama. Michael Sheen seems to be the guy to play Tony Blair. He's great at it. Helen Mirren is exceptional. She brings both the stoic and the scared with such ease. She fully deserves the Oscar for best actress.

A moment that may have felt like surrender to Elizabeth II is the most moving and powerful moment in a film filled with moving and powerful moments. Helen Mirren works a miracle with her characterization. When the Queen is forced by circumstances to address her people and mourn in public Diana's death, Helen Mirren doesn't forget that her character is a seasoned public speaker but not an actress. When she delivers her speech to her subjects, the real strength is in her commitment to her duty and not the meaning of her words. It is a chilling, masterful acting stroke. Stephen Frears uses the brilliantly structured script to reveal something that's always being in front of our eyes but we've never seen. The privacy of the most public people in the world. Michael Sheen is terrific as Blair and every piece of casting is truly inspired but it's Helen Mirren's film, oh yeah, one hundred per cent.