Daybreak Pictures, Film Four, Free Range Films,
Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Colman, Samuel West, Elizabeth Marvel, Elizabeth Wilson, Eleanor Bron, Olivia Williams
In the 1930’s, President Franklin D Roosevelt (Bill Murray) was reunited with his distant cousin Margaret “Daisy” Suckley (Laura Linney) who were very close. Rumor had it that she was his mistress. Meanwhile the King and Queen of England have arrived for a visit and to request FDR’s support for the coming war in Europe. At first Bertie and Elizabeth think perhaps the Americans are making fun of them, but as time passes, they begin to feel at lot more welcome. This is a close look into the life and times of FDR, his human side, and the troubles he faced.
It was nice to Bill Murray take on a role like this. When playing a character so familiar in people’s minds, it’s difficult to nail it. Bill doesn’t quite “nail it” but he does a decent job. I have seen a lot of other actors take on FDR, usually in a small part of a bigger picture, but Murray has to play him though nearly every moment of the movie. Well, he certainly is taking a lot of flack about it, and I think that’s unfair, as he did a pretty decent job, and I am impressed at his skill. But the story, those barely interesting, is not a grabber. There is no great events happening here, just a week in the life of the President and the King. I think this would be fairly interesting after watching The King’s Speech, as it does give us a bit more insight into King George than it does to FDR I suspect. But it is a decent investigation into the difference between the British Monarchy and our American President. If the USA was to ever have a dictator, it probably would have been FDR.
I can’t outright recommend this film for everyone, as it’s certainly very dry through most of it, and if you’re not interested in the historical value, you’ll probably find it really boring. On the other hand, if you’re a history buff, want more background on The King’s Speech, or interested in life in the 30’s, it’s a pretty good view into that period. I’m split down the middle on this one.
EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog
