The Queen - A-

In theaters.

On the way to our theater, we noticed the sign below, included for your enjoyment:

This movie tells story of how the Queen of England and the entire English monarchy handled the death of Princess Diana in the summer of 1997. Her adherence to tradition and technicalities prevented her or any other Royals from making any public statement for 6 days after Diana's death. The public relations nightmare this causes is the central conflict in the picture. Tony Blair is portrayed prominently in the film, basking in his well-received handling of the national mourning and trying in vain to try and coax her Majesty into the modern era.

Helen Mirren is exceptional as the Queen, and is predicted to win the Oscar for Best Actress. There are some interesting themes throughout the film; speaking truth to power, tradition versus progression, generational conflict, and the 'weight of the crown.' I have less than zero interest in 'the Royals,' and never quite understood the British obsession in the first place, so that utter lack of interest in the framework of the story may be responsible for a B+ rating of a Best Picture contender. There are several powerful moments in the film, but overall I wasn't all that impressed.

(legal note: truth is an absolute defense to defamation.)