A quick review of a movie I saw this afternoon…
The Queen
Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell
Dir: Stephen Frears – 2006 – UK
The hype behind this movie is that at the Venice Film Festival 2006, Dame Helen Mirren received a standing ovation for her portrayal of HRH Queen Elizabeth II. Set around the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, the movie is a reconstruction of events that followed, leading up to the funeral. It tells of the mistakes the Royal Family made and how the influence of newly elected Prime Minister Tony Blair changed the way the monarchy behaved, possibly forever.
A good movie, Dame Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen certainly played their characters brilliantly. However, it was always difficult to tell how much the film was fact and how much was fiction. Nonetheless, it’s an eye opener. One worth watching for royal watchers. 6/10
Looking youthful
After the movie, Annie and I went to grab dinner at a pizza establishment. Now in the USA it’s common to have your ID checked for your proof of age – not so common in the UK. For the first time in a very long time, the waitress asked me for my ID, only to be very embarrassed when she saw that I was 10 years above the age limit. Poor her. But rather reassuring that I don’t yet look too old and wrinkly. Still, grey hairs are coming out though, so it may not be long before I do look old.