The Queen reigns as a dramatic and surprisingly captivating film.
Comment
10/18/06
The Queen (2006)
97
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:177
Fresh:171
Rotten:6
Average Rating:8.4/10
Consensus: Full of wit, humor, and pathos, Stephen Frears’ moving portrait of the British royals during the period after Princess Diana's death features not one but two remarkable performances, that of Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II and Michael Sheen as the newly-ordained Prime Minister Tony Blair. They embody their characters and lay bare the motivations behind these prominent people, giving viewers a glimpse into the inner workings of the British monarchy.
Theatrical Release:15-09-2006
Synopsis: Helen Mirren delivers a royally stirring performance as Queen Elizabeth II in Stephen Frears's fictional romp, THE QUEEN. The year is 1997, and Great Britain has a newly elected prime minister, the... [More]
Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Sylvia Syms
Director: Stephen Frears
Reviews for The Queen
101 - 120 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Mirren's facial expressions are the true genius. Watching disturbing realizations dance across a face that's been trained for decades to be a study in stoicism is a wonder.
10/17/06
Helen Mirren is flat out phenomenal as Queen Elizabeth II.
10/16/06
Much like 'World Trade Center', the film propels its audience back to a place we'd rather not go.
10/16/06
I've barely recovered from watching Helen Mirren's exceptional portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in the television series "Elizabeth I," and then I'm blown away by her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in Stephen Frears' moving and witty "The Queen."
10/16/06
Spellbinding. majestic and magnificent - with an Oscar-worthy performance by Helen Mirren.
10/15/06
Frears's hatchet job is singularly effective, like a strongly negative political ad that goes straight for the jugular. The result is a fascinating film and a mesmerizing story.
10/14/06
None of the facts here will surprise any who lived through that time, but Mirren's brilliant and unflappably royal interpretation will astonish all and assure her of year-end mention.
10/14/06
Frears masterfully combines archival news footage with stellar performances from an outstanding cast, led by Mirren in a title role that demands Oscar glory.
10/13/06
An absolute delight, combining the cheap thrills of a biopic with the gentler, but more lasting, pleasures of a brilliant character study.
10/13/06
Funny? At times, but mainly sad, seasoned and alive to the test of a summer when a canny new PM met history through two remarkable women.
10/13/06
This finely crafted film has depth and significant value as a way to understand public events, sweeping aside myth to get at what really matters.
10/13/06
Succeeding where most docudramas fail, it turns a slice of recent history into a revealingly intelligent entertainment, without being didactic at one extreme or sentimental at the other.
10/13/06
Combining facts from the public record with dramatic speculation, Frears and Morgan portray the royals as simultaneously an ordinary family and anything but.
10/13/06
Told in quiet scenes of proper behavior and guarded speech, The Queen is a spellbinding story of opposed passions.
10/13/06
Top CriticMirren is spectacular, throwing down a whopper of a gauntlet for anyone who thinks they might have a chance at competing for an Oscar this year.
10/13/06
Frears energizes and modulates the film well, giving Mirren plenty of moments to quietly shine.
10/12/06
Frears' film is often a brilliant comedy of manners laced with the occasionally appalling undertones that we, the people, often embrace.
10/12/06
Frears has chosen to do one of the best things movies can do: help us understand people whose behavior seems inexplicable.
10/12/06
Delicately balances the inherent drama of the tragic circumstances with the comedy of manners that is the Royal Family's dysfunction, and Britain's ambivalent attitudes to the same.
10/12/06
Latest News for The Queen
January 20, 2009:
RT Interview: Michael Sheen on Frost/Nixon
Michael Sheen has made a name for himself playing real-life characters, from Tony Blair in The Deal and The Queen, to Kenneth Williams in Fantabulosa!. This week sees the... More...
October 25, 2007:
Hollywood Braces for Writers' Strike
We're just a few days away from the Writers Guild strike deadline, and things aren't looking good. More...
October 02, 2007:
Peter Morgan Preps Sequel to The Queen
Peter Morgan has taken his "Blair trilogy" from The Deal to The Queen -- and now, Variety reports, he's preparing the third installment. More...
September 11, 2007:
Toronto Film Fest: Ang Lee's Lust, Caution Reviewed
Among the higher profile entries in Toronto, Ang Lee's Lust, Caution had a particular notoriety coming in; not only were fest-watchers waiting to confirm or contradict the early... More...
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