Review: The King's Speech

Finally, I managed to find some time to blog on my most hectic month of the semester and it's only the first semester for my degree Year 1. Bloody hell, I even have to sit for Mathematics 1 midterm paper on my birthday next week. What a birthday gift from the lecturer. I won't mind if it's not the day I turn big TWO ZERO. Anyway, thanks to Nuffnang and TGV Cinemas, I've just collected 4 complimentary movie passes this evening, which makes my day! :)

Actually, I was finishing my assignment until the neighbours start firing fireworks and firecrackers at 12 a.m. sharp in conjunction of Chap Goh Mei. Chap Goh Mei is derived from the Hokkien dialect, which means the fifteenth of the first month of the Lunar New Year. It's a tradition which Chinese practices annually. Seriously, the fireworks are longer than we normally see on New Year's Eve. This depicts that Malaysian Chinese are more excited on this day? Hah

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I understand why The King's Speech is the big winner of the year after watching it last month. Initially I thought it's going to be a movie that bores your mind for 118 minutes listening to his highness presenting his long speeches. But heck no, it was intelligent, brilliant, and inspiring.

Prince Albert (George VI) is a caring and responsible leader of his nation, and he always answers the calls of his duty. The only problem of Bertie is that he can barely finish a speech without strangling on his own words, and due to that, he's often frustrated and angered. His wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) then brings him to an Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush).

After swallowing a huge marble in his previous therapy and years of stammerings with or without therapy sessions, Bertie has loss his faith. But Lionel has his own ways to make things work. He addresses the Duke "Bertie" and teaches him foul language. Bertie is annoyed with Lionel's behavior but he then changes his perspective on Lionel after a few sessions with him.

It's nice to see the warmer side of Helena Bonham Carter after all those Tim Buton-y freaking weird roles and the psycho Bellatrix in Harry Potter. Geoffery Rush definitely earns an applause for his charming performance. Not forgetting the convincing Colin Firth, who gives us pains in our ears for his constant chokes in his speeches. Oh yes, 2011 is surely his year.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this Tom Hooper's masterpiece not only for his great frame shots but also his way to capture the audience by giving a gradual excitement and some soap-drama-like. Also, both Firth and Rush gives us a few laughs throughout the movie and there are also moments that are genuinely inspiring. Not saying that this is the best film in 2011, but it's definitely better than The Kids Are All Right.

Overall rating: A+