One of the remaining mysteries of 2010, Tom Hooper's The King's Speech, which has no official stills and no trailer, opened today in Telluride. Based on the true story of King George VI's struggle with a speech impediment, the film stars Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter, all strong actors. Still, there was always the chance it could turn out to be another The Young Victoria in terms of reception and awards success. Apparently, that isn't the case, and the period piece is launching with some fantastic first reviews:
Variety's Peter Debruge kicks things off with a prediction that the film "should tap into the the same audience that made The Queen a prestige hit," and that "both roles provide a delightful opportunity for Firth and Rush to poke a bit of fun at their profession." He goes on to say that while Rush's performance seems - on the surface - to be showier, "the big scenes are indisputably Firth's." The Hollywood Reporter's Kirk Honeycutt is also extremely positive, and writes that "Firth doesn't just make a British king vulnerable and insecure, he shows fierce courage and stamina...it's not just marvelous acting, it's an actor who understand the flesh-and-blood reality of the moment and not its history."
But Firth and Rush aren't the only ones receiving attention; Honeycutt writes that Bonham Carter "is a revelation here despite a long career as a leading lady." Over at Incontention, Kris Tapely awards the film ***1/2 out of **** stars and says that "These two [Firth and Rush] have amazing, impeccable chemistry together. Each should comfortably find himself in the hunt for Oscar," and predicts that the film will have strong shots at Picture, Screenplay, and Art Direction.
Additional Reviews: [awaiting]
Telluride Verdict: A handsome and standard -yet-engaging royalty piece headlined by two fantastic lead performances.
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