The Queen (2006)

New Labour modernism is pitted against royal protocol in this poignantly amusing mix of fact and fiction. It benefits from Frears's clever use of newsreel footage, flawless re-creation, and exemplary acting, especially Mirren's brilliant Oscar-winning turn.

The critic calls the film excellent, fascinating, funny, wicked and to the point. They single out Helen Mirren’s remarkable performance turning the Queen into a human being and a standout scene with the monarch and a stag.

The film is a spellbinding story of opposed passions between the Queen's icy resolve to keep the royal family aloof and Blair's reading of the public mood demanding sympathy for Diana. Mirren delivers a masterful performance built on suggestion, implication and understatement.

The review commends Mirren's nuanced performance and the film's exploration of changing times and the monarchy's adaptation, blending wit and compassion into a moving state-of-the-nation report.

The critic finds the film Stephen Frears’s most subtle yet also a potential political flashpoint in Britain. Mirren’s restrained, dry portrayal of the Queen is singled out for particular praise alongside the classical direction and integration of news footage.

The film shows the royal facade crumbling as the public mood turns against the monarchy after Diana's death, with Tony Blair relishing his finest hour. It is a shrewdly balanced two-hander between Michael Sheen's uncannily exact impersonation of Tony Blair and Helen Mirren's note-perfect performance as the Queen.

The critic praises the film as a serious docudrama that delves into the clash of values between tradition and modernity following Diana's death, highlighting Mirren's superb performance in showing the Queen's human side.

The critic finds the film pedestrian and narratively unaffecting despite Mirren's regal performance, criticizing the script's jokiness and lack of revelation while noting its focus on media and monarchy tensions.

The critic describes the film as scintillatingly funny and sometimes touching, with Helen Mirren’s performance as possibly the best blend of impersonation and acting in movie history. It praises the brilliant crafting and acting by the Frears-Morgan team while noting the royals do enough damage to themselves.

Mirren's commanding performance turns the film into a crackling dramatic story that is intelligent, thoughtful and moving. Frears and Morgan capture a poignant moment in British history with insight and professionalism.

The critic finds Stephen Frears’ film hugely enjoyable and praises Helen Mirren’s eerie, cracking impersonation of the Queen as the standout element. It notes the film’s sharp reminder of how little has changed since the events of 1997.

The film dramatizes the clash of wills between the Queen and Tony Blair after Diana's death. Mirren exposes the twin sides of her appeal as the forbidding yet winning monarch, making viewers argue about the monarchy.

The Queen is a sublimely nimble evisceration of the cult of celebrity surrounding the British royal family. Mirren delivers a performance remarkable in its art and lack of sentimentalism as the queen.

The critic calls the film a compelling and controversial account of the royal family’s failure to react to Diana’s death, hailing Helen Mirren’s sensational portrayal of the Queen. It highlights the portrait of power as sharp and addictive while noting the film avoids parody.

The film is a deliciously witty play about the struggle for modernity between New Labour and the monarchy, with cheeky backroom wranglings and cultural contrasts. It benefits from delicious performances, led by Helen Mirren, and great humour drawn from the domestic arrangements.

Tradition and informality collide in this deliciously written and expertly played dramatization of the week after Diana's death. Mirren gives a socko performance as the queen in a witty and finally moving recreation.

The film admirably handles a difficult subject with taste and insight, bringing the Queen to life as a human figure. It singles out Helen Mirren's reserved and intense performance for particular praise.

The critic finds the film taut, energetic, and frequently funny, praising its portrayal of Tony Blair as a hero of image projection and Helen Mirren's layered performance that humanizes the Queen.