The King’s Speech won 4 very deserving Oscars this passed year. I wanted to see it based on the accolades and word of mouth buzz the movie had since it came out. I knew very little about the plot going in and what one would think would be a boring art film is actually a touching and brilliantly told story.

King George VI of Britain never wanted to be king, a reluctant hero (figure head really) to say the least. He was forced to step up in place of his struck-dumb-with-love brother and had a rough go at it. The good king had a brutal stutter since he was a child and as such had the self esteem and confidence of a wet mollusk.

It’s very human story that many people can relate to. King George had very pressured upbringing surrounded by a wall of unsympathetic people. As an adult he truly was the product of his environment. Stepping into the biggest public speaking role you could ever imagine KGVI seeks the help of many speech therapists who fail until he finds Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). This brilliant Aussie helps good George become a true King.

While technical praise for crafting this film from every department is necessary, The King’s Speech is carried entirely on the shoulders of Colin Firth as King George and Geoffrey Rush. Their acting ability and on screen chemistry elevates this movie to award winning territory. I don’t think the movie would have worked without them, they’re that impressive. Helena Bonham Carter is also notable as King George’s wife who is pretty much his rock through out the movie. As the saying goes, behind every good man is a better woman.

I’d recommend this to anyone, it’s a great movie with a lasting story that is rooted in our history.