The Queen of Hearts.

''THEIR grief? If you imagine I'm going to drop everything and come down to London before I attend to my grandchildren who've just lost their mother... then you're mistaken. I doubt there is anyone who knows the British people more than I do, Mr. Blair, nor who has greater faith in their wisdom and judgement. And it is my belief that they will any moment reject this... this "mood", which is being stirred up by the press, in favour of a period of restrained grief, and sober, private mourning. That's the way we do things in this country, quietly, with dignity. That's what the rest of the world has always admired us for.''

After the death of Princess Diana, HM Queen Elizabeth II struggles with her reaction to a sequence of events nobody could have predicted.

Helen Mirren: The Queen

Director Stephen Frear's The Queen faces the grueling prospect of displaying and showing one of the darkest days in recent years of a declining monarchy. A time when the death of a princess shocked the world and sent us into mourning, with an enigmatic Royal Family and Queen choosing to keep things private albeit hush hush.
Frear's paonts an intimate picture of a week in time, showing us glorious characters of consequence and stature. Giving them three dimensional layers and graces, flaws and strengths, conveying a sense of realism, life and symbolic importance for a monarch whom deserves her story told. For a monarch under-valued and misunderstood by her own people.



''Will someone please save these people from themselves!''

The Queen features a fabulous cast of veteran actors whom wonderfully flesh out their respective roles. We have the whole line up of Royals, politicians and famous icons of British culture on display here.
Obviously Helen Mirren's performance is outstanding, and deserving of the Best Actress Oscar she deservedly won for this. Every gesture, word, and unrelenting acting of resonance and royal stature is layed to bear by the woman, who embodies her majesty majestically.
Another character portrayed very well is the ominous Tony Blair, played by a wonderful Martin Sheen whom is a rising star of late. His mannerisms, and voice accurately captures the man. As the Queen warns him off future disrest also, we believe her and we also believe Mirren's charismatic ability.
We see a James Cromwell as Prince Philip, making his views heard with great amusement. He's actually on form here as a believable character whom isn't afraid to voice his views, he also makes alot of laughs happen without meaning too.
Alex Jennings as Prince Charles tops it off, as the benevolent Prince, who is flushed with good intention and future thinking for the family. He adds a weirdness to yet an apparent family barbarity, whom get the most joy out of stag hunting and the great outdoors. A life of prviliage isn't given, it isn't asked for, you are born into it's bussom, and it's shackles stick. All the members of the Royal Family are locked to this world the public cannot understand, and why would they? The aren't a part of it, yet in some ways they are an inexistent part, which a hereditary form of selection dictated the Monarchy, in the relic ridden past.

''Sleeping in the streets and pulling out their hair for someone they never knew. And they think we're mad!''

The music, cinematography, and acting all propel proceedings into a higher sphere of greatness. When these things come together, we the audience are in awe of it. The Queen waiting for her help as her car breaks down in a remote stream, is a pause, a breath of freedom, in the unrelenting drama of scandal and oppression. When she looks up and sees the Stag in the distance, looking this way in return, she exclaims its beauty and at the same time it's appearance and being there, symbolizes something greater. It is a symbol and metaphor of glorious hope, a hope for the future, a future not so distant, an evolution of tradition and regal formalities.
Later we see a Tony Blair and Queen, two months later after events, which shows us the mind set and bonding of the two giants of our time. We see the ushering of past merging with progress, tradition giving way to progress...yet the coin is flipped in the sense of progress still honouring tradition and mutual respect for an age old sovereign and Saviour of our people.

As for Diana, labeled the People's Princess, she was a Goddess among us, cruelly snatched away in the peak of her existence. Her vibrant energy and unrelenting essence was an inspiration to our world and a burning candle of hope and generosity. Charities, celebrities, royalty and countless people were all in awe of her, and if she was still around today I'm sure her good would still be generated in droves by her shining presence and influence. The week of her demise, shocked a nation and an onlooking World, it even shocked a private family mysterious to all, into action and remorse. A public ushering in their guidance and condolences to be shared with all and everyone.

Overall, The Queen is a miracle of performances, and a wondrous historical capturing of a few days, that feel like a lifetime of struggle. A journey of discovery and a capturing of one of the most powerful women of our time. An inspirational account that Helen Mirren beautifully captures on each frame she graces and is upon. The Queen shows us the greatness of England, of our Country, of our land. The United Kingdom, in all it's traditional, monarchy proud, shining beacon of hope instances. Even in our darkest hour, we can prevail, and Her Royal Majesty does just that. She prevails.

''You must show your strength. Reassert your authority. You sit on the most powerful throne in Europe, head of an unbroken line that goes back more than a thousand years. Do you think any of your predecessors would have dropped everything and gone up to London because a bunch of hysterics carrying candles needed help with their grief? Huh! As for that silly Mr. Blair with his Cheshire Cat grin...''

8/10