The Queen

Ever since Helen Mirren won all the major Best Actress awards this year, including the Oscar, we have been keen to watch The Queen.

And to say we were not disappointed would be an understatement. We went to watch her act, and what we got was much more- an engaging commentary on the challenges of the monarchy in modern times, the tenuous relationshipship between the Head of State and Head of Government, the incredibly difficult balance between regal 'distance' and 'connection' with the masses, the unusual loneliness of the Head of State, the maddening scrutiny of the media- all of it paints a poignant picture of the monarchy that is clearly at crossroads as more and more questions are asked about its utility, its significance and frankly, its relevance in modern times.

The key thing is any of this of is just to portray things as they are, not to take sides, but let the facts speak for themselves, and this is where the movie excels. It sticks to commentary without being "preachy"- makes you make your own judgments and also speaks to how people in power are terribly insulated from the world by their advisors, assistants, secretaries and what have you- this entourage has as much if not more power than people imagine- and they tend to use it in subtle ways. The movie's deft charatecterization of all characters, big or small, is what makes this movie riveting. The movie uses the week of the terrible tragedy of Diana's death to portray the various shades of the Queen- seemingly aloof and distant, honoring tradition, but at the same time, capable of adapting and changing with the times.

Helen Mirren clearly deserved the Best Actress award. She portrayed the role with dignity, poise and just enough vulnerability to show us what may be under the veneer of royalty and that is no mean feat!