'The King's Speech' — 4.5 out of 5 stars
The heartfelt performances of "The King's Speech" radiate in a clear, magnanimous voice.
The twentieth century period piece, directed by relative newcomer Tom Hooper, follows the travails of Britain's King George VI as he struggles to overcome a speech impediment and capture the attention and respect of the nation. He enlists the help of quirky speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), with whom he develops an unconventional yet genuine friendship.
The story itself is sound, if unremarkable. It is structured as many of these films are, detailing the life of a man with great promise, but who needs to overcome a plethora of obstacles to fulfill his potential. King George VI takes the throne on the brink of World War II, and so it is more necessary than ever for him to present a strong and unified voice to an uncertain nation. What matters more to the film than the ominous, impending doom of World War II is the heartfelt, unlikely friendship between King George VI and Logue. Through the process of their sessions Logue teaches the then-Duke not only how to annunciate and speak clearly but also how to come to terms with his power and find peace within his family. "The King's Speech," in all essence, is a buddy movie in disguise.
What really drives the movie is not the plot, however; it's the performances. Colin Firth shines as the unsure and irritated monarch, portraying a vulnerability that went much further than his speech impediment, as well as a bravery to finally step up and overcome that. Geoffrey Rush also excels as Lionel Logue, and the screen chemistry between Firth and Rush is something that can't be easily faked. Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce and Michael Gambon also add to a praise-worthy cast.
"The King's Speech" isn't about speech impediments, monarchies or World War II. It's about friendship, and that's something we can all relate to.