Breathe In (5/10): It works while the characters drive the film instead of the narrative

 “My uncle used to say, don't let fear become your profession.”

Drake Doremus’s follow up to his 2011 acclaimed film, Like Crazy, is thematically similar in tone and style as the premise focuses on the complexities of relationships once again. I was a huge fan of Like Crazy and admired how the characters were given such depth while avoiding the typical romantic cliches. This time around I felt like the familiar premise began with some promise, but ultimately unraveled at the end. The plot centers on a foreign exchange student who arrives at a small New York town hosted by a married couple and their teenage daughter. We’ve seen this premise played out many times in films as the new guest disrupts the apparent balance in the marriage and we can easily predict where the story is heading. Despite the familiarity of the premise, Doremus managed to center on the characters and let them be the driving force of the film which worked very well for the first two acts. Unfortunately the third act shifts gears and instead of centering on the characters, the familiar narrative drives the film. There is a specific scene as we approach the climax of the film where a coincidence takes place making the action feel forced and disrupting the naturalism of the narrative. Once the characters take a back seat and the familiar narrative becomes the driving force of the film the magic runs dry and we can’t help but feel we’ve seen it all played out before. It is a shame because Doremus had established the tension so well up to that singular moment with extreme close up shots on the actors’ faces and a soft accompanying score. Even the score which I was really enjoying up to that point began to feel intrusive and loud during the final third act manipulating our emotions as opposed to the actors who were doing it so well up to that moment. The tension dissipated and the predictability took control delivering an unsatisfactory ending.

The strongest and most engaging thing about Breathe In is the solid cast. Felicity Jones is back in the lead role opposite Guy Pearce. The chemistry between the two is strong and the sexual tension is slowly built. I enjoyed the subtle and restrained moments between them and was also glad that Doremus took his time to build that tension. It wasn’t something that just escalated out of nowhere, but it actually felt authentic as Pearce’s character begins to question some of the decisions he has made in his past. He sees her as someone who he can relate to and who actually understands what music is really about. Doremus is authentically concerned about studying these relationships and showing how fragile they can be. He took his time at introducing the family and portraying their relationship as a solid one until Jones’s character arrives in the picture and disrupts this apparent balance. Amy Ryan does a fantastic job playing the wife, but her character isn’t really developed very much as the main focus of the film centers on Pearce and Jones. But her quiet performance and her glance say a lot more than words could ever say. Mackenzie Davis plays the teenage daughter who also happens to be the weakest and most cliched character in this film. She never really did much to build the realism that Doremus was aiming for because her character is placed only to move the narrative forward. Despite the film’s flaws, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce’s strong performances make this an engaging watch. Having enjoyed Like Crazy so much I couldn’t help but feel disappointed at Doremus’s latest effort however.   

My Review: The Rover (6/10)

"The only thing that means anything right now is that I'm here and he's not."

David Michod followed up his critically acclaimed Australian film, Animal Kingdom, with this post-Apocalyptic western starring Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson. It is a very slow paced film with very little dialogue and several monotonous scenes involving close ups of characters staring into the desertlike wasteland. As I was watching The Rover, I couldn't help but recall the stunning cinematography and the atmosphere of The Road. This film has many similarities with it considering it also deals with a post apocalyptic world where humanity seems lost. The few social encounters that take place between the characters show us how indifferent these people are towards each other in this bleak and harsh world portrayed by Michod. There is no mention as to what happened other than that there was a collapse ten years ago. That collapse hasn't affected the landscape as much as it has affected people's inner lives. There seems to be a lack of purpose in every character's life and there is no room for laughter or hope. It's not the world that has gotten darker, but the people who are simply trying to survive in it. We've seen this sort of bleak world portrayed in many other films before, and the monotony can turn many audiences off. The young girls who are drawn to this film for Robert Pattinson will be disappointed considering the dirt filled desert has taken its toll on him and the rest of the characters. No one looks good in The Rover, there is no reason to, they are all simply trying to survive and move on in this desolate land. The tone and mood of the film is very dark and harsh which will also turn many people off. This isn't a film for everyone, but the drama does manage to keep you in suspense.

Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson are the sole reason why I was able to stick with this depressive and lonely world painted by Michod (with the assistance of Joel Edgerton who wrote the story in which the film is based on). Pearce gives a solid performance as this tough loner who will stop at nothing to find the men who have stolen his car, even if it means getting killed in the process. Along the way he encounters Rey (Robert Pattinson), who is the brother of one of the criminals who have stolen his car. Apparently Rey was left for dead after a shootout that took place right before the criminals decided to escape in the wrong vehicle. The two continue the search together. Once Pearce and Pattinson are on screen together the film picks up and breaks the monotony from the opening minutes. Pattinson is the stand out here playing this dimwitted character who doesn't seem to have a chance of surviving in this world on his own. He sells his southern accent very well and even delivers some much needed comedic relief once in a while. He is almost unrecognizable in this film and I believe it is probably his best performance to date. The violence in this film is also shocking at times as it hits you pretty hard and doesn't romanticize it at all as some Hollywood films tend to do. The gunshots are loud and quick and probably say much more about The Rover than any of the characters do. I wasn't a fan of the score of this film which was a bit repetitive and wasn't necessary in my opinion considering the tone was rather monotonous on its own. Despite its slow pacing, The Rover managed to sustain the tension up to the very end.

My Review: LA Confidential (9/10)

"Rollo Tamasi is the reason I became a cop. I wanted to catch the guys who thought they could get away with it. It's supposed to be about justice."

L.A. Confidential was a very pleasant surprise. I had been waiting a long time for a crime drama like this one and somehow I had never been able to see this classic film from 1997. They don't make crime dramas like they used to in the 90's anymore. L.A. Confidential belongs in the same rank as Se7en, The Usual Suspects, and Heat in my opinion. Unfortunately, in the last decade this genre has faded away. This is director Curtis Hanson's best film and despite directing many more movies in the last decade they have been decent or misses. None of his films compare to the set and mood he's established here with LA Confidential. The film is full of suspense, thrills, and has several twists along the way. This is just the kind of film I love to see. The performances were also all really strong thanks to a spectacular cast and a fabulous adapted screenplay written by Hanson and Brian Helgeland (42, Man on Fire, Mystic River). The script was adapted from James Ellroy's crime novel and it incorporates several true events from the 1950's crime world in L.A. Fans of film noir and crime thrillers will be in for a treat here because this is a really special movie and it deserves all the awards it has received because this is a very satisfying film. The last hour of this thriller is really intense and will leave you at the edge of your seat. The build up is also very satisfying because the characters and events are all well developed.

The film takes place in LA during the early 50's right after the arrest of the well known gangster, Mickey Cohen. The LA police department is as popular as ever thanks to this arrest and a TV drama glorifying them. They are prepared now to face the war over the control of the drug trade that Cohen's arrest has provoked. Among the best men in the department we have the hot headed cop, Bud White (Russell Crowe) who is willing to do what it takes as long as the guilty pay for their crimes. He`s extremely sensitive towards abused females and is ready to punish the criminals. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) on the other hand is always looking for fame considering he`s a consultant for the cop TV show. Jack has close ties with Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito) a magazine editor who makes deals with him to cover some high profile arrests after setting up their victims. Then there is the promising young officer Edmund Exley (Guy Pearce) who does things by the books and has impressed the DA and high officials for his smarts. Exley is ambitious and is looking for a big arrest in order to climb the ranks. These three men despite being very different from each other will have to join forces if they want to solve the brutal crime that has just taken place near a local cafe. Their main suspect is the millionaire, Pierce Patchett (David Strathairn), who runs a sort of high profile prostitution net involving Hollywood star look a like hookers. One of these hookers, Lynn Bracken, is played by Kim Bassinger and begins to be romantically involved with Bud. James Cromwell plays a supporting role as one of the Sergeant's in the police department.

This film received 9 Academy Award nominations including best picture and director, but only won two (Kim Bassinger for best supporting actress and Hanson for best adapted screenplay). There is something unique about this film despite the fact that the subject matter has been dealt with before a million times (corrupt cops and gangsters) and I think it has to do with the fact that there is no main character here. All three officers have the same amount of screen time and they all kind of play out like anti heroes. They are not your usual heroic cops, instead they are all flawed but easy for the viewer to identify with and root for. I was interested in what was going to happen to each one of the characters in this film. There are good enough twists for the audience to enjoy this film based on the action alone, but the performances from Spacey, Pierce, and Crowe are all so good that they just elevate this film and take it to an entire other level. Basinger is really good here as well, but I don't think she was better than the male actors in this film. L.A. Confidential is one of the best crime dramas I've seen thanks to a great script, some incredible performances, memorable characters, and a lot of thrills. This film is a must see.

Rating: 9.3/10

My Review: Iron Man 3 (8/10)

¨Ladies, children, sheep... Some people call me a terrorist. I consider myself a teacher. Lesson number one: Heroes, there is no such thing.¨

Iron Man 3 is the first film following the events of The Avengers, and if you wondered if the movie was going to lose entertainment value considering it shifts the focus back to only one superhero, you were wrong. Despite not having all those great characters together, Robert Downey Jr. manages to capture the audience’s attention once again with his vibrant portrayal of Tony Stark. He has been the main reason why I´ve enjoyed these films so much because they are just a perfect fit. New director, Shane Black (Lethal Weapon), who worked with Downey in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, knows that the secret to the success of this franchise is letting Downey be himself and focus on his character. In this third film Starks is stripped down of his toys and questions whether or not he is worth anything without the suit. The Nolan effect which has been a key element in superhero movies is present at the beginning of the movie. We see a much more vulnerable Tony Stark, who is suffering from panic attacks due to the events in The Avengers, and who makes mistakes like putting his beloved Potts in danger due to his big mouth. This first part of the movie didn’t work very well because it felt like a different kind of hero, but the effect wears off real quickly and Starks is once again back to his normal self once he realizes he is what makes the suit and not vice versa. Having his character stripped of his toys and having to manage to depend on simple things once again to defeat his foes is what made this film so entertaining. It was like if Stark had to go back to the basics and rediscover himself, although he never loses his goofiness. The villains in this film were also a huge improvement from its predecessor. This might not be as great as the original Iron Man, but it is an improvement from the first sequel. Black did a decent job following Jon Favreau´s work and he manages to keep the franchise afloat.   

Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) has to face a new set of villains in this third film which takes place after the events of The Avengers. A terrorist who calls himself The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is terrorizing the world through several explosions across the globe. Meanwhile Tony has found himself absorbed trying to perfect his suits and may have crossed the line trying to overprotect his love interest, Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). The reason behind his obsession is that he can´t afford to lose what he loves most. When Stark threatens The Mandarin, his army destroys his home leaving him for dead. Stark has to hide out while he figures out more information about this terrorist. He discovers some information about an AIM program run by Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) which seems to be involved with the well known terrorist. Without being able to use all his equipment and technology, Stark is forced to use his intellect and capabilities to defeat his new enemies, while at the same time trying to protect Potts. Along his quest he makes some new friends, like the young boy named Harley (Ty Simpkins) who helps gather some materials for him to work with, and counts with his always reliable friend, Rhodes/War Machine (Don Cheadle). Rebecca Hall also has a small role in this film as Killian´s assistant, and Paul Bettany lends his voice once again to Jarvis.    

As you would expect, the visuals in this film are great and the action sequences are also very entertaining. The two hours go by in a flash thanks to some decent pacing. The franchise doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but it still offers some great summer popcorn fun entertainment. Iron Man 3 is the perfect way to start off the 2013 summer and we can only hope the rest of the films keep this streak going. I loved the little twists and turns the film takes here by making you think it is going to be so much darker than the rest of The Avengers, but then all of a sudden it returns to its playful self. The Marvel universe is one that doesn’t have to be taken so seriously because we have fun with the lightness of the characters and situations. The entire spin with The Mandarin was incredible. I wasn’t too pleased with the opening minutes of the film considering Stark was much more vulnerable and not as fun as his usual self, but once he got his confidence back everything seemed to play out really well. Black is a master at mixing some great action scenes with tons of comedy (Lethal Weapon and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang are proof of that) and we see it once again with Iron Man 3. Downey Jr. continues to deliver with his clever lines and charismatic self. He is the only reason we need to want to go see this movie.

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/

My Review: Lawless (9/10)

¨It is not the violence that sets men apart, alright, it is the distance that he is prepared to go.¨

Lawless is a terrific action drama set in the depression era in a small Virginia town. The cinematography in this film is beautiful; I just love movies set in this period when they have a good story like this one. Lawless is based on the novel written by Matt Bondurant, ¨The Wettest County in the World,¨ the grandson of one of the characters in this film, and it claims to be based on a true story. The screenplay was adapted by Nick Cave, and the film directed by John Hillcoat (The Road). I was instantly won over by Lawless as soon as I saw the talented cast that was involved. Shia LaBeouf may have the lead role, but he is outshined by Tom Hardy who is the heart and soul of this movie. The rest of the cast was also excellent with Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, Dane DeHaan (the young Leonardo Di Caprio look alike from Chronicle), Gary Oldman, and Guy Pearce who plays the villain to perfection here. Gary Oldman is always great, but my only complaint here is that he gets as much screen time in the movie as he does in the trailer. He could´ve been used much more here, although I understand that there were a lot of different things going on. There was one terrific and brutal scene thirty minutes into the movie that really caught my attention and picked up the story from that point forward. It was the turning point for me. Hardy was the rock of this film and he absolutely nailed his role convincing the audience of the legends surrounding his character. I had some trouble with his grumpy voice at times understanding what he was saying, but his performance was spectacular nonetheless. In a way he reminded me of Ryan Gosling in Drive.

The story takes place during the prohibition era in Franklin County, Virginia where the three Bondurant brothers, Forrest (Tom Hardy), Howard (Jason Clarke), and Jack (Shia LaBeouf) run a bootlegging business with the compliance of the local authorities. Jack´s close friend, Cricket (Dane DeHaan), a young teenager who couldn’t hurt a fly is responsible for the moonshine production for which he`s very talented. At the same time, city girl Maggie (Jessica Chastain) shows up in the small town looking for a job at the local bar that Forrest runs. Trouble arises when a new Special Deputy arrives in town from Chicago. His name is Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce), and he wants a bigger share in the Bondurant´s profits. Rakes is eccentric and crooked, but he isn’t intimidated by these brothers. The rest of the town believes in the legend that Forrest is immortal after having survived several life threatening experiences (even Forrest himself believes this). Forrest is perhaps the only one in the town that stands up against Rakes and defies him. The younger brother, Jack, initially is the most timid one, but after falling for the local preacher´s daughter, Bertha (Mia Wasikowska) and scoring an important business deal with a famous mobster named Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman) he begins to transform himself into quite a respectable lad. The problem is that Rakes is keeping a close watch on their business and waiting for the perfect opportunity to intervene.

Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy`s characters are probably the best developed in the story. Shia goes through the greatest transformation, while Hardy remains the same always projecting this in control and cool persona. He truly believes he`s immortal like the rest of the town. Jason Clarke is probably the least developed character along with Gary Oldman who really has very little screen time (a real shame). Guy Pearce is very cynical and twisted minded. He made for a perfect villain. Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska both projected beauty and innocence in their roles. The cast was really great in this. I also loved the music and score that accompanied the film. The drama and action played out really well with a couple of violent and bloody scenes. There were several sub plots going on as well with the love interest between Jack and Bertha, and Forrest and Maggie. The legend behind these three men is probably what makes the film stand out story wise and puts Forrest on top of my favorite characters list for 2012. Lawless is a film you won´t want to miss.

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com

My Review: Prometheus (9/10)

¨How far would you go to get your answers?¨

Prometheus is one of the best movies of the year and in my opinion one of the best science fiction films I`ve seen in a very long time. The visuals were incredible, the characters interesting (very strong performances from Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace), and the suspense was very intense. I was at the edge of my seat during most of the film and was really impressed with the movie overall. I had seen the trailer and didn’t really expect much, since I`ve never seen the Alien films and had heard this was an Alien prequel. However, despite not seeing Alien I have to say that the film works on its own independently. I do want to go back and watch those films now because Ridley Scott did such a great job with this movie. Scott became a household name in 1979 when he directed the first Alien film which became an instant cult classic and followed it up with another great science fiction movie, Blade Runner. Since then his movies have been either hit or miss, with some great titles like Thelma and Louise, Matchstick Men, and Gladiator, and others not as good. He has directed several different genres, but there is no doubt that when it comes to science fiction he brings out the best. His latest film, Robin Hood, wasn`t received very well, although I did enjoy it quite a bit, but not nearly as much as I did Prometheus. The script for this movie was written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof (the writer of my favorite TV series, Lost), and for many it was the weakest part of the film, but I did enjoy some of the dialogue and the philosophy behind it considering this is a science fiction film.

The movie takes place in the year 2089 when two archeologists, Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green), make an important discovery in a cave somewhere in Scotland. They find ancient hieroglyphics similar to others they`ve found in different unconnected regions of the world from different eras and times. They automatically assume that this has to be a sign that we were created by some sort of a higher being, which they call ¨Engineers¨. The hieroglyphics consist of men signaling towards five stars that are exactly in the same position, which scientists later discover to be in a very distant galaxy with a solar system similar to our own. Elizabeth and Charlie convince a wealthy man named Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) to finance a trip to this planet in order to search for answers about their existence. A crew of 17 members all financed by the Weyland Company travel to this distant planet on a spacecraft named Prometheus. They are put into hyper sleep during the voyage which takes more than two years, while a human like android named David (Michael Fassbender) makes sure everything is running smoothly. Once they reach their destination, David wakes everyone up. The captain of the ship is Janek (Idris Elba) and they all follow orders from Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) who sends the exploration crew out to find any sign of life outside and commands them not to speak to anyone until they return to the ship. The film slowly builds the suspense and tension from this point on as they end up finding something very different from what they were searching for.

There are plenty of scares and thrills in Prometheus and the tension is very well constructed, unlike recent horror films where you have hardly any build up to the story. Many people complain about the script, but I thought it was really well developed with interesting characters and situations. Michael Fassbender gives perhaps the best performance of the film with a very intriguing character who you never know whether you can trust him or not. His performance is among the best I`ve seen this year. Noomi Rapace also gives a very strong performance as the strong female lead role. She proved she can play these difficult roles before (from the Swedish Millennium trilogy) and she is someone to keep an eye on. Idris Elba had some small scenes, but he is always great. Charlize Theron gives a very good performance as the sort of cold and distant Vickers. You never know whether she`s human or an android because of her distant nature, and there is even a joke about it in the movie. The rest of the cast was alright, but never up to par with Fassbender and Rapace. Some of the scientists do act rather immaturely, but I guess that is always a must in science fiction horror films. You always have to have those annoying characters which you don’t really care for or mind having them killed off. Perhaps I enjoyed this film more than others since I haven’t seen the Alien films and didn’t have my expectations as high as them. I will definitely go see those movies now, and I wouldn’t have a problem watching this film all over again.

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com

My Review: Don`t Be Afraid of the Dark (4/10)

¨We want you! ¨

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is the latest scary movie to once again fall short in what I consider a dying genre. Horror movies nowadays suffer from very poor scripts, the stories are really predictable because we`ve seen so many horror films, and they all rely heavily on special effects. Very few horror films actually manage to scare audiences, and most simply try to shock. At least this film isn`t gory, but there aren`t any scares either. The main problem I had with this movie were the villains: small Gremlin looking fairies. They just weren’t scary at all; they never seemed to present a threat. They are more funny looking than anything else. What really disappointed me the most about this movie however was the script because I was expecting more from Guillermo del Toro (Laberinto del Fauno and Hellboy). The story was actually weak and by the time the mystery about what was in the house disappeared so did my expectations. The mystery only lasts about 20 minutes and then we have to sit through 70 minutes of pointless storytelling. This was Troy Nixey`s directorial debut and in my opinion he failed big time. This film was actually based on a 1973 made for television movie of the same title which was directed by John Newland. It`s really hard nowadays to find an interesting horror flick that won’t disappoint. We don’t need to be warned about fearing the dark as long as these movies keep on failing to scare its audiences.

The movie opens with a strange murder that takes place in the large basement of a house. A famous painter named Blackwood (Garry McDonald) calls his housemaid (Edwina Ritchard) to come down to the basement where he patiently waits for her and kills her. He asks her to forgive him, but he has to do it in order to get his missing boy back. Some creatures that live under a fireplace seem to demand teeth in exchange for the boy`s life so Blackwood takes her teeth and offers them to the creatures, but instead of getting the boy back he is pulled down the fireplace and disappears. Many decades later a couple, Alex (Guy Pearce) and Kim (Katie Holmes), decides to buy the old house and restore it. While working on the house Alex`s ex wife sends his estranged daughter, Sally (Bailee Madison), to live with them. Sally isn’t happy about ¨being sold¨ by her mother and she isn`t very fond about Kim either. Sally is a very lonely and depressed girl, but she begins hearing voices in the house. One day while she is walking around the backyard she discovers a basement and Alex decides to open the sealed up room. Once they unlock the basement, some small creatures begin to haunt Sally in the darkness. Of course no one believes Sally since she has been so affected by trying to adapt to her new home. Since no one is willing to help her, she decides she will have to face her fear alone.

The story actually seemed kind of interesting at first, but as I said, once the mystery was over in the opening minutes of the film so was my interest. The story just goes downhill from there on with very little thing making sense. I was even disappointed with the ending of the film (in my opinion it didn’t make sense at all, but I can`t give anything away). It was good to see Katie Holmes back in a lead role and she did what she could with a weak script. Guy Pierce is a good actor, but this won`t be one he will be remembered for. As for Bailee Madison she is one of my favorite child actors. She is so adorable on screen, but this role simply wasn’t for her. She is much better in comedic roles, than in scary movies. The role of a depressive and sad kid wasn`t for her. I liked her much better in Just Go With It (a terrible movie starring Adam Sandler, but she was the best thing about it) and Brothers (a drama starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman). I actually decided to watch this film because I wanted to see what she could do in a horror movie (besides the fact that I wanted to see Katie Holmes back in action). Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark fails in so many levels and I was really disappointed. I really hope a good scary movie comes out before the year ends. I think the last horror movie I enjoyed was Paranormal Activity (and it`s been two years already).

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/

My Review: The King`s Speech (9/10)

¨If I am King, where is my power? Can I declare war? Form a government? Levy a tax? No! And yet I am the seat of all authority because they think that when I speak, I speak for them.¨

Being a good public speaker is a necessity for the King of England, because he represents the voice of his nation. If that nation is going through a dark period in time (declaring War on Nazi Germany for example), then the need to be a strong public speaker is even greater. Unfortunately for King George VI that is not the case, since he is known as King George the stammer. Bertie (the nickname his family has given him) has suffered from a severe stammering problem for as long as he can remember. He has tried every means necessary to get over his problem, but they`ve all failed and there is nothing he can do about it. The King`s Speech is the favorite film to take home the Oscar for Best Picture with 12 nominations. Tom Hooper did an excellent job with the direction of this historical drama, which also manages to produce several laughs throughout the film thanks to a witty script written by David Seidler and great performances from Colin Firth (frontrunner to take home the Oscar for Best leading Actor), Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter. David Seidler actually suffered from stammering as a kid and clearly remembered the speech the King gave while declaring War against Germany during World War II. His experience with the problem and memory of the historical facts made him the ideal person to write the script for The King`s Speech, since he was mostly only known for writing movies made for television. This film will probably open many new doors for him as a writer because the script was beautifully written and the Oscar nomination was well deserved.

Colin Firth gives one of the best performances of the year in his role as King George VI. The film is based on true events beginning in 1925 when his character has to give a public speech in Wembley Stadium. George is only a Duke and has to give the speech as a request given to him by his father King George V (Michael Gambon, known for his role as Dumbledore in the Harry Potter franchise). His stammering problem gets even worse as every eye in the stadium is on him and the speech is a complete disaster. It’s a good thing Bertie won`t be King because that responsibility should fall on his older brother Edward (Guy Pearce). Years pass by and Bertie can`t find a way to get over his speaking problem. Every doctor that treats him fails, and his bad temper doesn`t help him any either. His wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) doesn`t give up on him however and finds a speech therapist who claims to be able to fix her husband`s problem. Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) is a pretty unorthodox doctor, but he forms a strong bond with Bertie, and their unlikely friendship becomes one of the main attractions of the film. Their personalities clash several times, but their relationship grows through time. King George V falls ill and passes away, so Edward becomes King of the nation. Unfortunately for George, Edward is in love with a two time divorcé, Wallis Simpson (Eve Best), and is willing to resign the crown of England just to marry her. The King of England is the head of the Church and therefore it is impossible for him to marry a divorced woman. Edward resigns for love, and the responsibility of the nation falls entirely on King George VI. The timing couldn`t have been worse because England is declaring War on Germany and the nation is waiting for the King`s speech.

It is impossible to remain emotionally detached from the film due to the strong performances from the ensemble cast. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are just phenomenal in this movie, and the pairing of the two make this movie even stronger. When the movie reaches its climatic scene at the end and we are waiting to hear the King`s speech, it’s just impossible not to feel nervous for Bertie. We want him to succeed after everything that he has gone through. Firth and Rush really made us feel sympathy for their characters and that is what great actors do. As for the director Tom Hooper all I can say is that he was totally in control of his craft and made a strong film. However I still don`t consider this his best film. Last year he directed The Damned United, and in my opinion that is a far superior movie which starred Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall as two football coaches. With these two great films in two years, I will keep Tom Hooper under my radar for his upcoming movies. He has proven twice now that he can make powerful pictures. The relationship between Bertie and Lionel isn`t the only strong point of the film; Bertie`s relationship with his brother Edward is also a key point of the film. Edward is willing to resign the crown for love, but at the same time he is running away from the responsibility of governing a nation in need and leaving that enormous task on George, who happens to be handicapped himself. Well I guess it isn`t Edward`s fault that they don`t let him marry the person he loves, and for that I understand him, and in a way I think George does too. The movie has several things going for it and I highly recommend it. If The King`s Speech ends up winning Best Picture, it will be the second time in consecutive years that Guy Pearce is in a movie that takes home the top prize (he was in The Hurt Locker as well). 

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/