--- title: "The Young Victoria" year: 2009 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-young-victoria" fi1m_id: "the-young-victoria" imdb_id: "tt0962736" tmdb_id: 18320 wikidata_id: "Q755171" fi1m_score: 73 critics_score: 61 critics_reviews: 12 published: "2026-10-01T21:10:44.818537+00:00" updated: "2026-10-01T21:10:45.292063+00:00" region: "SG" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Young Victoria (2009) Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée · 1h 45m · Drama, History, Romance ## Identity The Young Victoria - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-young-victoria - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** the-young-victoria - **IMDb ID:** tt0962736 - **TMDB ID:** 18320 - **Wikidata ID:** Q755171 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0962736/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/18320, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q755171 **Fi1m score: 73** · Critics 61 from 12 reviews *In a sentence:* Emily Blunt makes royal independence look like a reasonable request for everyone to stop helping > Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend make this royal courtship worth an evening. The family quarrels have some bite, but the politics and supporting characters are too neatly managed to trouble an otherwise pleasing romance. ## Synopsis At court, the future Queen Victoria (Emily Blunt) wants a say in how she lives and whom she trusts. Her mother, the Duchess of Kent (Miranda Richardson), and Sir John Conroy (Mark Strong) stand in the way of that independence as she approaches the throne. Prince Albert (Rupert Friend) brings the prospect of a relationship she might choose for herself. Family disputes and royal obligations surround the courtship, leaving Victoria to distinguish the people who care for her from those who want to direct her. ## Review Jean-Marc Vallée’s *The Young Victoria* is an agreeable royal romance, carried by Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend, and rather less persuasive when it asks us to worry about power. Julian Fellowes gives Victoria plenty of people to resist, but the film is reluctant to let that resistance become seriously uncomfortable. There is pleasure in watching a young woman insist on her own wishes. The romance deserves the attention it gets; some of the other characters could have used a little more. Emily Blunt supplies the necessary stubbornness without making Queen Victoria seem ready-made for the throne. Her restraint works because it suggests effort: this is a young woman trying to keep her impatience presentable. We felt angry on her behalf during the conflicts with her mother and Sir John Conroy, whose pressure leaves so little room for her own wishes. Miranda Richardson and Mark Strong give her something definite to resist, and these family quarrels are among Julian Fellowes’s most effective material. With Prince Albert, the film becomes easier company. Rupert Friend makes the attraction to Emily Blunt believable without straining for a grand passion that would leave everyone else looking underemployed. Their mutual interest feels persuasive, and the formality does not prevent warmth from coming through. Julian Fellowes gives Albert less room to develop than Victoria, however, and a change in his manner feels imposed by the script rather than earned by what we have seen. That unevenness matters because the romance asks us to take both people seriously. Paul Bettany gives Lord Melbourne a welcome suggestion of calculation, making his intelligence attractive and faintly suspect. He makes us curious about what Melbourne wants, which is more than some of the supporting characters manage. Elsewhere, Julian Fellowes is too willing to let a person be understood at a glance. There are competing wishes here, but the writing seldom allows them to become as interesting as Victoria’s courtship. Hagen Bogdanski’s framing helps keep Emily Blunt visible as a person rather than a royal portrait. The images have the requisite formality, but the faces remain worth watching amid the finery. Patrice Vermette’s production design makes privilege look comfortable, perhaps more comfortable than this story needs. Sandy Powell’s costumes contribute to the sense of propriety the actors must work through, although Jean-Marc Vallée sometimes seems too content to let the clothes and surroundings hold our attention when the drama slackens. Editors Matt Garner and Jill Bilcock keep the story manageable within 105 minutes, though the supporting characters suffer from how quickly their business is settled. A little more time with them might have made the court feel less conveniently arranged around its heroine. Ilan Eshkeri’s music gives the romance welcome warmth, but occasionally makes the intended response too obvious. The attraction between Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend is strong enough to need less encouragement. A costume romance does not have to embarrass its characters to make their feelings believable. Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend are persuasive within the film’s reserve, and we would gladly have spent longer with them. Choose it for the couple, and do not expect the politics to keep pace. *Fi1m score 73, published 1 October 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews lean towards qualified approval, with praise clustering around Emily Blunt’s performance and her chemistry with Rupert Friend. Most critics find her Victoria lively, nuanced or determined, giving the romance enough feeling to sustain an otherwise restrained costume drama. The handsome presentation is another recurring strength, while several reviews find the film entertaining despite its stiffness. Supporting performances also receive praise, though Blunt is usually the main attraction. The divide concerns how much drama survives the polish and reverence. Even favourable reviews note underdeveloped characters, limited spectacle or a lack of urgency; the spread runs from warm approval to firm rejection. The Guardian offers the sharpest dissent on Blunt, finding that her restraint wastes her charisma rather than serving the character. Slant Magazine rejects the romance as unconvincing and the history as lifeless, while singling out Paul Bettany’s Lord Melbourne for praise. ## Straight answers **Is The Young Victoria worth watching?** *The Young Victoria* is worth watching for Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend’s persuasive royal courtship, and we score it 73 out of 100. We recommend it as a warm, restrained costume romance rather than a searching political drama: the family quarrels have bite, but the supporting characters and questions of power are too neatly managed. **How long is The Young Victoria, and what is it rated?** *The Young Victoria* runs 1h 45m. It is a drama and history film. **Where can I watch The Young Victoria in Singapore?** *The Young Victoria* is not on any streaming or rental service in Singapore at the moment. It is available in 16 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How does The Young Victoria compare to The Age of Innocence?** *The Young Victoria* is the gentler romance, while we recommend [*The Age of Innocence*](https://film.one/film/the-age-of-innocence) for a more painfully persuasive account of feelings constrained by impeccable manners. Blunt and Friend make the royal courtship warm and appealing, though its politics remain tidy; Scorsese gives social rules greater dramatic weight, even if he sometimes spends too long explaining them. **What should I watch after The Young Victoria?** After *The Young Victoria*, try [*The Age of Innocence*](https://film.one/film/the-age-of-innocence) (1993, Fi1m 86): For another courtship in which impeccable manners make honest feeling difficult to express. Then [*The Earrings of Madame de...*](https://film.one/film/the-earrings-of-madame-de) (1953, Fi1m 87): For romantic feeling conveyed through clothes, glances and the expensive business of keeping up appearances; and [*The Madness of King George*](https://film.one/film/the-madness-of-king-george) (1994, Fi1m 83): A less reassuring royal household, where illness turns deference into a struggle for power. ### Reviews we read (12) - **Variety**, Derek Elley (80/100, inferred): Elley finds the film polished, romantic entertainment, praising its performances and assured direction. He singles out Emily Blunt’s nuanced portrayal and her chemistry with Rupert Friend as particular strengths. [Read](https://variety.com/2009/film/reviews/the-young-victoria-1200473845/) - **Empire**, Kim Newman (70/100, inferred): Newman finds the film elegant, entertaining and informative, though somewhat restrained in its drama. He praises Emily Blunt’s performance and the vivid supporting turns, while noting the film skimps on spectacle. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/young-victoria-review/) - **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (B-): Phipps finds the film an effective, if stuffy, costume drama. He praises Emily Blunt’s lively portrayal and the romantic tension she shares with Rupert Friend. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-young-victoria-1798207651) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Kirk Honeycutt (65/100, inferred): The review finds the film appealing but rarely rousing, with some bloodless direction. It praises Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend’s performances, especially the romance between Victoria and Albert. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/film-review-young-victoria-92847/) - **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. No specific praise or complaint is available from the accessible text. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-young-victoria-2009) - **Radio Times**, Susannah Straughan (3/5): The critic finds the biographical drama vivacious and handsome, with Emily Blunt bringing charm and steely determination to Victoria. The conflicts with Victoria’s mother and Sir John Conroy are singled out as the script’s strongest material. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-ssz7r9/the-young-victoria/) - **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (60/100, inferred): Lane finds the film handsome but constrained, with its success resting largely on Emily Blunt. He praises her nuanced, commanding performance, especially the moment of relief after Victoria addresses the Privy Council. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/12/21/free-and-uneasy) - **Time Out**, Nina Caplan (3/5): The review presents the film as sumptuous, though Victoria’s path to becoming queen proves complicated. The available text singles out its sumptuousness but provides no further detail on the critic’s verdict. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-young-victoria-1) - **Slant Magazine**, Joseph Jon Lanthier (1.5/4): The critic finds the film vapid and historically lifeless, reducing Victoria’s story to an unconvincing romance. He singles out Paul Bettany’s Lord Melbourne as the film’s cleverest performance. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-young-victoria/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (25/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the biopic dull and overly reverential, with little dramatic spark. He particularly faults Emily Blunt’s restrained performance, arguing the film wastes her charisma. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/mar/06/the-young-victoria-film-review) - **Digital Spy**, Simon Reynolds (78/100, inferred): The review finds the film an accomplished, unashamedly romantic period drama despite some underdeveloped characters and an unconvincing shift in Albert’s personality. It singles out Emily Blunt’s captivating lead performance and her effortless chemistry with Rupert Friend for praise. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a148394/the-young-victoria/) - **Eye for Film**, Andrew Robertson (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film entertaining and pleasingly assembled, though not scrupulously accurate. They praise the performances, especially the chemistry between Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend, and the film’s visual framing. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-young-victoria-film-review-by-andrew-robertson) ## Details - **Director:** Jean-Marc Vallée - **Director:** Jean-Marc Vallée - **Writer:** Julian Fellowes - **Cinematography:** Hagen Bogdanski - **Editor:** Jill Bilcock, Matt Garner - **Music:** Ilan Eshkeri - **Production design:** Patrice Vermette - **Costume design:** Sandy Powell - **Producer:** Sarah Ferguson, Tim Headington, Graham King - **Cast:** Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria; Rupert Friend as Prince Albert; Paul Bettany as Lord Melbourne; Miranda Richardson as Duchess of Kent; Jim Broadbent as King William IV; Thomas Kretschmann as King Leopold; Mark Strong as Sir John Conroy; Jesper Christensen as Baron Stockmar - **Runtime:** 1h 45m - **First release (the UK):** 4 March 2009 - **Genres:** Drama, History, Romance - **Budget:** $35 million - **Box office:** $29 million ## Where to watch in Singapore Not streaming, renting or buying in Singapore at the last check. Also available in: AT, AU, BR, CA, CH, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, NO, NZ, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2010: Best Makeup and Hairstyling (nominated); Best Production Design (nominated); Best Costume Design (won) ## If you liked this - *A Royal Affair* (2012): A court romance with sharper political consequences and less reassurance from its royal surroundings. - *The Age of Innocence* (1993), Fi1m 86: For another courtship in which impeccable manners make honest feeling difficult to express. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-age-of-innocence.md) - *Belle* (2013): Another period romance led by a woman confronting rules designed to keep her compliant. - *The Earrings of Madame de...* (1953), Fi1m 87: For romantic feeling conveyed through clothes, glances and the expensive business of keeping up appearances. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-earrings-of-madame-de.md) - *The Madness of King George* (1994), Fi1m 83: A less reassuring royal household, where illness turns deference into a struggle for power. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-madness-of-king-george.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-young-victoria