cinematic eloquence

Walking into The Kings Speech I quite honestly expected your typical Oscar-fair: the biopic, littered with character drama in one civilized and tidy affair. Frankly, I thought I was walking into The Queen Part 2: The Prequel. And while this film holds dear to the markers of Oscar-bound cinema, it cannot simply be put away in a dusty category with the royal biopics of film history.

Now I'd like to keep my comments terse and to the point, like the film itself. Though this film may ultimately end up filed away with the rest in the near future, I'd like to comment on the modernity of this particular piece. For The Kings Speech embraces cinematic language to correct the spoken stutter of a former leader. The most striking use of cinematography I've seen this year, the film's odd framing and gentle, rich color palette creates a psychological experience beyond the simple narrative. Voice is brought to life through the camera, which freely moves about, fragmenting the body in attempts to understand the origins of voice both physical and metaphorical. And though understanding may never be met, it is through the camera, matched with careful dialogue, that creates a brief look into the powers of speech and audience.

Finally, Colin Firth's performance cannot go without mention. For all the film-trickery in the world cannot create the film's depth of insight when we are fundamentally centered around an individual's tale. The piece is ultimately a biopic, and Firth's masterful performance brings voice and frustration alive. The brutal close-up keeps us both distanced and connected with "Bertie's" boundless frustrations, and it is Firth's painful stutter that continues to draw us in, creating the never-ending tension that surrounds the film. It is going to be an extremely close Oscar race for Best Actor this year, but I'll reserve my predictions for another day.