The story of Queen Victoria's rise to power, produced by Martin Scorsese. Follows Victoria's (Emily Blunt) turbulent early years from the object of a royal power-struggle, to her romantic courtship and marriage to Prince Albert (Rupert Friend).
I apologise, we feel bad, but there's no trailer available. ~Ed.
Fans of Pride and Prejudice would be well advised to check out this sumptuous period drama, which has all the fine fashion, simmering romance and mannered etiquette you will need for an entire year.
Emily Blunt shines as a young Queen Victoria, barely recognisable from her other roles in Sunshine Cleaning or The Devil Wears Prada, sucking everything towards her in a gravitational pull of charismatic power.
Vic’s attraction to cousin Albert (ex-Keira Knightley beau Rupert Friend) sizzles with mutual attraction. Pity the lovin’ is refined mainly to correspondence via letters. We don’t want to see them reading – we want to see them breeding.
Political relevance is given short shrift in favour of melodrama and, puzzlingly, the film ends with a series of title screens explaining all the more notable things that Victoria did after the narrative finished.
All the performances are brilliant – especially a short but sharp appearance from Jim Broadbent as King William and a bristly turn from Miranda Richardson – and The Young Victoria’s superior production values go a long way to make it an enjoyable costume flick, but you can’t help but feel there was a more interesting story somewhere that wasn’t told.
By Andrew Hedley, Flicks.co.nz
Not what I expected. Great movie and story. Didn't know much about her prior to the movie. What a great woman though. I think her husband was a king in his own right! What a man!
I loved this movie, it was interesting to see the vibrant young Victoria, rather than the dour older lady that we usually envisage. By the end you will be punching your fist in the air yelling "you go girl". Makes me want to see it again & again.
Thought this movie was great and totaly unexpected for a person who doesn't ususally enjoy period dramas. The story was well told, although there could have been a little more explination in some areas. Came away feeling I knew a little more of history than I had before.
"We don’t want to see them reading – we want to see them breeding." Classic.
is it just me or is the music on the trailer the same as the music from the climax of 'love actually'?
An elegant, entertaining, informative picture with a gallery of vivid supporting turns, this provisionally crowns the winning Blunt as a Brit-pic star - but it skimps a bit on the bodice-ripping, blood and thunder.
The great revelation of The Young Victoria is that it makes the enigmatic Prince Albert (Rupert Friend) come sharply into focus. Friend has made a specialty of likeable cads and while Albert was no cad, he had been trained from an early age to appeal to the future queen of England.
Rose-tinted it may be, but this portrait of Britain’s longest-serving monarch never drags. Blunt and Friend secure your sympathy as the mutually adoring V&A, while Vallée sleekly braids the personal with the parliamentary.
Patrice Vermette's production impresses through Hagen Bogdanski's lens and an oomphy score comprising Schubert, Handel and Strauss colours our emotional palettes. The film looks gorgeous with plush settings and stunning gowns, while Blunt photographs like a dream. I couldn't help thinking if they ever make a bio-pic about Princess Margaret, Emily Blunt would be perfect in the lead role. She even looks like her.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 3rd Sep 2009.
Release date: September 3rd 2009.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
