While there have been and continue to be royal families in various countries around the world, for most people -- at least in America -- the first monarchy that comes to mind is that of Britain. Granted, that could be due to their former rule over the States, but it's also because they've produced a number of the most colorful kings and queens in history, but also some of the most beloved among their people.
And when such Brits are thought of, it's usually that of the older versions, not only because the current Queen has been serving since 1952, but also because the likes of Helen Mirren and dame Judi Dench play such figures, none of which are exactly spring chickens.
Yet, all of them obviously had childhoods and adolescent years that formed their beliefs and demeanor, but that's rarely the basis for a movie. That now changes, to a degree, with the release of "The Young Victoria," a sumptuous looking and well-acted but somewhat dull look at a very short period in the life of the monarch who ascended to the throne at the age of eighteen and then ruled longer than anyone else in British history.
As is the case with such period costume dramas, director Jean-Marc Vallée makes good use of the exquisitely designed attire, handsome production design, and the appropriately sounding regal score. And he gets a good, if perhaps just a step down from great performance by Emily Blunt in the lead role.
Previously the second banana (or a number below that) in contemporary pics such as "Sunshine Cleaning" and, most famously, "The Devil Wears Prada," the young actress easily slips into and feels quite comfortable in the period role (even if her accent isn't always spot on) Her chemistry with Rupert Friend who plays her awkward suitor and then activist husband, Prince Albert, also works quite well. Theirs was a true love in real life that only grew stronger as the years passed, and we get a clear sense view of the budding elements of that after the two evolve out of their "chess piece" stages.
What doesn't work as well, despite the built-in potential, true-life aspects and considerable screen time, is all of the strategizing and maneuvering by various figures to manipulate and/or win over the Queen and her confidence. As that occurs both before and after her coronation, there's plenty of room for fun, exciting and/or building anticipation of such jockeying and who will succeed.
Yet, Vallée -- working from a script by Julian Fellowes and overseen by, of all people, Sarah Ferguson (a.k.a. the Duchess of York) as one of the film's producers -- never really makes all of that terribly interesting, let alone as emotionally and/or intellectually engaging as it probably could and should have been.
While the performances by the likes of Paul Bettany, Mark Strong and Miranda Richardson are all good (and Jim Broadbent is fun in an extended cameo as the flamboyant king), there's just something missing in the story in which their characters operate. Considering the genre's trapping, perhaps it's appropriate to say it's all staid, but this sort of drama needs something extra to make it stand out from previous such entries.
Even so, Blunt and all of the pretty pictures certainly make it easy to watch. And although some may complain the true story only got more interesting in the later years of this particular monarchy, the title clearly indicates what's to be offered. If only all of the scheming were as strong as the budding love story, this might have been something. As it stands, "The Young Victoria" is pretty, but doesn't feel experienced enough to stand alongside the best period costume dramas. It rates as a 5.5 out of 10.
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