Film Review: W.E.

There were a lot of poor reviews of this film when it was released.

Sad, but true.

The good news is, this film deserves none of it and I think it is a film worth savouring, for each separate element, i.e., the acting, the score, the direction, and the story itself.

Together, it is a truly special journey that you feel privileged to join, despite some truly heartbreaking scenes that are included, they are counterbalanced with the others, more hopeful and cheerful and thankfully outnumber the former.

Every element previously mentioned is top notch, a high standard rarely seen, or in the case of the score, heard.

First off, the acting. Oscar Isaac, Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough, James D'Arcy, are all brilliant in the main roles, all bringing subtlety and emotion to their roles that is rarely seen in films lately. The supporting cast, Laurence and James Fox, Natalie Dormer, Geoffrey Palmer, Richard Coyle and Judy Parfitt are all excellent.

The score is quite simply, beautiful. There are some scores that I love to listen to constantly, this is definitely going to be one of them. It just complements the story so well and makes it shine. It was composed by Abel Korzeniowski. He also wrote the score for A Single Man.

The direction. This is the second film that Madonna has directed and from watching it, it seems as though she has been doing this for much more than two. The style put me in mind of John Maybury and Jane Campion.

Madonna also wrote the script for this film, with Alek Keshishian. The two stories, Wallis Simpson and Prince Edward VIII, and Wally and Evgeni are interwoven with each other so beautifully, I was enraptured from the first moment.

Comments

  1. Film & TV Commentator13 March 2013 at 06:58

    The first quote comes from a period film, with a romantic side to it. Also humour. Of sorts.

    “Lord Melbourne: Your Highness, there's your opening if you'll take my advice...
    Prince Albert: Lord Melbourne, forgive me but you seem to have confused me with a member of your club. I am not your drinking companion nor your whist partner. I am the husband of your sovereign. And as such, I will make my own decisions, and I neither seek nor invite your advice. Good evening.”

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