In this day and age, with a political climate that is fed by speculation, judgment, and an inflated sense of righteousness from most citizens towards their elected officials, the gap between those in power and those citizens who think they are misusing it is growing daily.  The more the masses complain, assume, and criticize, the more the government withholds...until they are caught in the act and we complain, assume and criticize some more.  Long gone are the days when the average citizen can feel that they are properly represented by their elected officials; a reality which lends heavily to the power of director Stephen Frears new film, The Queen.

I’ll admit that I have no particular interest in the politics of my own country (other than laughing at all the crying, whining and protesting from despondent anti-war folks) and I have even less interest in the politic atmosphere in other countries.  But having said all that, I was totally enthralled with the story played out in The Queen.  The entire film takes place over a one week period in 1997 in which a tragedy occurred that resonated throughout the world...the death of Princess Diana.  But nowhere was this event felt and endured in such a way as in England, where she was their princess.  No matter how many countries she aided through her diplomacy, charity work and genuine concern, she was always closest in the heart of those who watched her grow from an unwitting bride into a force of change...and grew with her.

But more than the confusion caused by a senseless passing was the confusion of the bizarre reaction by the House of Windsor...or should I say complete lack thereof?  You see, Diana was by no means a beloved addition to the royal family, as her blatant disregard for stuffy protocol in lieu of an approachable nature and under-assuming attitude had the monarchy constantly cringing.  But even given that tension between them, the reaction of the Queen and her family was beyond comprehension for most of her subjects.  For a period of several days, while the entire nation was joined in mourning, their beloved leaders remained absent, shut-off and entirely silent.

Every paper, every news agency and water-cooler was abuzz with the same question...”Where is the Queen?”; but there was no answer to be had.  While the new Prime Minister Tony Blair was reaping the benefits of his heartfelt and public sorrow, the very person he was representing was losing the respect and adoration of a nation...a nation which had elected Mr. Blair based on his stance of change.  It doesn’t take a historian to see that an absent monarch of a people who are craving change is a monarch who is in peril.

As much as The Queen is about the relationship of a ruler and her people, it is also about the relationship shared between the Queen and her Prime Minister.  While Mr. Blair pulls his hair out in an attempt to snap the Queen out of her reign-threatening solitude, it is easy to see their relationship as metaphor for both the generation gap and the age old dispute between “tradition” and “progress”.   But at what point does tradition become threatening to progress and at what point does resiliency become stubbornness?  These are the subtexts of The Queen and this film is a fascinating peek into an establishment that knows a thing or two about resiliency AND stubbornness!

The performances are top notch which is not terribly surprising given the talent present here.  Helen Mirren took home an Oscar for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II and deserved each and every Academy vote she received.  She captures amazingly the dichotomy of a ruler who is trapped by what she has known and what others want from her, a queen who must somehow choose between policy and diplomacy.  When your entire reign is built upon being unshakable, what does a woman do when her country wants to see her crack?  Mirren captures all of these things in a sort of understated accuracy that makes her performance here worthy of study for years to come.

No matter how well played the part of the Queen, it was Michael Sheen as the then-fledgling Prime Minister Tony Blair that resonated with me.  A true servant of not only the people who voted him into office, but the regent to whom he still owed allegiance, Mr. Blair was also caught between the proverbial rock and hard place.  Sheen’s Blair is simultaneously warm and stern, patient and forceful, and it is soon apparent that the country’s survival in this time of emotional crisis was going to be his to orchestrate.  Michael Sheen is simply awe inspiring to watch and does not only this film, but the real-life Blair, proud.

Historically based films are always a gamble as there will be those who insist that the events and factuality are not accurate.  To the credit of these filmmakers, the events here are shown with such a sympathetic and inquisitive light that they nearly defy misinterpretation.  Each character is shown in two lights, which sums up the overall motive of The Queen...to show that behind every decision is a reason and behind each of those reasons are a hundred decisions leading up to it.

A gripping story, a real life tragedy, and a superb cast and crew to bring it all to life...this is the makings of a quality film.  I am so impressed by the ability of The Queen to capture the interest of someone so uninterested in the subject matter beforehand, that I cannot begin to imagine how fascinating and informative this film must be for those who loved Diana so much at the time of her passing, those who follow the lives of the royal family, or anyone interested in politics and the secret goings-on behind the personalities we pretend to know.

Rest assured that you will enjoy the craftsmanship of this film, as it is so professionally and yet tenderly handled.  The Queen is quite simply a must-see, and with the incredible included commentary and making of featurette laying bare the immense attention to detail and respect put into this project by all involved, I am sure you will find it a must own.  You have never seen the monarchy stripped of all its pretenses like this before, and the results are enlightening at the least. 

-aaron-