We saw the Queen this afternoon. It is a wonderful movie. The story surrounds Elizabeth II's reaction to the death of Princess Diana and of the ascencion of Tony Blair to the PM, all in 1997. Helen Mirren, who plays the queen, has the distinction of being the only actress who has played both Elizabeths.
The movie is, if anything, understated. The genuine tensions of a monarch that has served for more than 50 years are evident when she learns that Diana has died. The Queen is skeptical of the new PM. But indeed in the end she accepts good political advice from the new PM about how to get out of the perceptual problem the royal family encountered when trying to balance political/public responsibilities with those private functions associated with the death of a family member who had been divorced from Prince Charles.
The interactions of the characters are wonderful. Blair and Prince Phillip and Prince Charles are masterfully played. Their interactions are also well presented. Oddly, Prince Phillip is portrayed by a guy named Cromwell. Mirren should be a contender for the Oscar this year - she plays the role with almost perfect detachment.
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