Tag: stephen frears

I declare that my whole life shall be devoted to your service. “The Queen” (2006)

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directed by Stephen Frears
© 2006 Pathé Distribution. All Rights Reserved.

I guess you’re not surprised to see this film being recommended today. Considering the situation, I’ve decided to dedicate today’s post to the Queen and “The Queen”. If you haven’t seen it yet, I believe now is a perfect moment to catch up on that. The film isn’t a typical biopic, as it presents only a short period of Queen Elizabeth II reign, the year 1997 to be precise. Those who haven’t been born back then may not remember – it was the year of Princess Diana’s tragic accident, and that’s exactly where we begin the film. Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) and her new Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) have to manage the unpleasant situation. The whole story about the monarchy of the UK is quite complex, but shortly speaking – Diana wasn’t respected by the Royal Family, but at the same time she was the mother of a future king, so after her death it was difficult to decide how to react. They couldn’t treat it as an official royal death, but at the same time people were expecting the Royal Family to show respect. I find this film fascinating because it presented those events from the perspective of the Queen and partially Prime Minister. Perhaps we’ll never find out what was actually taking place in the Buckingham Palace, but this film reminded me that we should always consider both sides of everything. As much as Diana had some conflict with the Royal Family and her own reasons to leave them, they also had their own reasons to push her away. Maybe for us it was easier to sympathise with Diana as she was similar to us, ordinary people. However, when you’re a monarch, you have to follow certain rules, protocols, which isn’t easy either. So even if you may feel like doing something, you always have to remember about who you are and how your actions will be judged by others. I’m absolutely amazed by Helen Mirren for playing the role of the Queen (for which she was awarded an Oscar and many other) as she presented her in a very authentic way. I didn’t feel like I was watching a biography about a monarch, I felt like I was watching a story about a woman, who has to do her job and does it the best she can. A woman, who has to find compromises and get used to new expectations. A woman, who sometimes has to do things against her own will. A woman, who seems incredibly strong, yet deep inside she’s constantly questioning. And I believe that’s exactly how we shall remember Queen Elizabeth II. May she rest in peace.

My rating: 7/10
S.

When it comes to marriage, one man is as good as the next. “Dangerous Liaisons” (1988)

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directed by Stephen Frears
© 1988 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

The older Stephen Frears gets, the better films he makes. I mean, he started with good productions, but his recent ones are much better, in my opinion. Still, he’s a director worth knowing and appreciating. Today I’d like to recommend you his old film “Dangerous Liaisons.” It was made over 30 years ago, so don’t expect it to be in 4k. However, you can see 4k actors there, such as Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Keanu Reeves, Uma Thurman or also Mildred Natwick in her last role. For the cast I would give 10/10. Yet, the story could have been told better. Let’s start from the beginning. Marquise de Merteuil (Glenn Close) is angry with her ex-lover who has recently ended their relationship. But she’s a cunning woman with pride. She comes up with an idea to embarrass him with the use of Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich). He is an absolute womaniser, so Marquise’s proposition seems perfect for him. She asks her friend to seduce Cecile de Volanges. Why? Because Cecile de Volanges in Marquise’s ex-lover new fiancée. This film was made when “The Bold and the Beautiful” series was on top, so don’t expect it to be any less complicated when it comes to the connections between characters. Generally it’s about a mean woman who’s so jealous that she’s ready to do anything for revenge. At some point I started yawning, but maybe it’s because I don’t like such trivial dramas based on jealousness. Still, it’s a great director with a fantastic group of actors, so you should definitely dedicate some time to watch them. Especially Uma Thurman who was 18 back then and nobody would guess she’ll end up killing people in Tarantino’s productions.

My rating: 6/10
S.