Victoria and Abdul

First Hit: The story was funny, interesting and predictable.

Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) is portrayed as not very interested in her duties or her life. She sleeps through state dinners and when she eats, she scarfs her food down with gusto. During this time, England is a world power and as such, England rules India and therefore she is Empress of India.

During the Queen’s Golden Jubilee (50 years on the throne) leaders of countries came to celebrate and bring the Queen gifts. India sent two Muslim servants to England to present the Queen a special coin. They are told to not look at the Queen when they present the coin. However, Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal) does look at the Queen and she responds in kind.

Inviting him to be her man servant, he gains her trust and friendship and soon she makes him Mushi, which means teacher. With Abdul, she begins to learn Hindustani and of Indian culture which she thinks is appropriate because she’s Empress of India.

The film is focused on her loyalty to Abdul, his loyalty to serve the Queen, and the Queen’s staff worrying that their relationship is inappropriate because he is different and beneath them. There are comical scenes, sad scenes and scenes that share information about the rules of the time.

Dench was perfect as someone who was lost in the boredom of her role as a Queen only to come alive with new interest and energy by way of Abdul. Fazal was excellent as Abdul. His expressions of both wonder at the spectacle of it all and the seriousness of his role as Mushi were very engaging. Eddie Izzard (as Bertie, Prince of Wales) was very good as the resistant son who wanted Abdul gone because without him the Queen’s general health was becoming worse which put him closer to the throne. His cruelty as he takes the throne is horrible. Lee Hall wrote a very good script that brought this story to life. Stephen Frears did a nice job of sharing the story. He provided a plausibility while shedding light on their relationship and deep caring for each other.

Overall: It was entertaining and informative.

Philomena

First Hit:  Outstanding in every sense of the word.

Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) has lost his job with the government because of an incorrect story attributed to him.

Being a former BBC journalist, he’s going to go back to writing. He’s got an air of arrogance of self-importance because of his previous positions with the government and the BBC. While at a party an editor asks if he’s interested in writing a human interest story and if so please contact her. He scoffs at this. A server from the same party speaks with him about writing about her mom Philomena (Judi Dench) as a way to find out the truth about the child that was taken from her at an early age by Catholic nuns.

He decides to meet Philomena. She tells Martin the story of how she lost her child, Antony, while at a convent in England. As he listens to the story you can see him slowly become engaged. I won’t give the story away here because the film does a superb job of sharing this information, but it is enough to say the nuns aren’t necessarily Jesus like in their actions.

The film has multiple levels: There are the differences between Philomena and Martin in their beliefs in God and religion. There is the difference between the importance of a human interest story and its impact on things. Martin was use to big and important stories.

There is the difference around what is private and public. In all cases Martin and Philomena both learned a lot about each other, life and the truth. Lastly, there is the bigger picture of will this human interest film be as interesting as a bigger, action based, blockbuster film? 

The writing in this film is phenomenal while the acting razor sharp, on target and terrific. Pulling this all together was director Stephen Frears who knew how to tell this story.

Dench is spot on perfect and amazing. Coogan, likewise was incredible as the world-weary writer finding new life in human interest narratives. Coogan and Jeff Pope wrote an elegant story with great characters. And as previously mentioned Frears directed this story and cast with elegance.

Overall: Oscar worthy on all accounts.