At this point, there’s little doubt that you know of The Queen, know that it’s considered a fantastic film, and have heard that Helen Mirren’s portrayal of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is among the stronger performances of the past several years (and, according to the Academy, the strongest of this past year). And so there’s little I can do to convince you to see the movie if you haven’t already. Not only does The Queen put the week after Princess Diana’s death into historical perspective, not only does it clue the stateside population into British royal procedure; it’s also a deeply human, moving account that questions what a monarch owes to her people.

Diana’s accident on August 31, 1997, was my generation’s version of JFK’s death. I can still remember pulling out pants and polos for the upcoming school year, having recently returned from the shore, and I can remember watching the news on the television in my room in my old house, and yet, as I watched the movie, I was stunned by how little I knew about the circumstances surrounding it. Britain was already in a state of uneasy change, as Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen in a smart, measured performance) had recently taken control of the government after 18 years of Conservative rule, stirring a sentiment in the public for a “mondernized” leadership that challenged the Royal Family’s traditions.

Many of these traditions became especially despised as the Royals seemingly ignored Diana’s death, rationalizing that she was no longer a member of the family and her death did not require the protocol set aside for a state mourning and funeral. Her popularity, though, led to a worldwide outcry for an appropriate response from Buckingham Palace.

Stuck in the middle of this struggle are Elizabeth and Blair, she struggling with how to settle and protect her family and he attempting to reconcile the difference between representing his people and being a leader. Mirren is simply brilliant in this situation, showing the queen’s reluctance in the public and her strength in private. There’s no question as to why she deserved an Oscar for her turn.

With a dry wit, charm, and a deep soul provided by Peter Morgan’s script and strong supporting performances by James Cromwell, Tim McMullan and others, The Queen is a film that will stick with you long after you’ve left the theater.

Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5

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