Review: The Lost King

With recent events involving the British monarchy still fresh in our minds, the release of this film is quite timely.

I was mainly enticed by the story as I'm always interested by the history of the monarchy. Plus, with it being directed by Stephen Frears, I knew it was going to be a safe watch and he has made a lot of solid and functional dramas.

If you've seen the trailers, then you pretty much get what is being marketed. The structure is pretty conventional and it has that British underdog vibe that does well with many demographics.

There are some quirks to it to help it be not too ordinary. But on the whole, it goes at a nice pace and is generally a harmless viewing experience.

What I felt made this work best was the casting choices. Sally Hawkins always does a great job and she is no different in this. Instantly likable and the authentic look of innocence made a very easy watch.

Hawkins' chemistry with various co-stars gave us some nice moments. Steve Coogan's collaborations with Freears continues with another solid outing, Mark Addy does an adequate job and I enjoyed Harry Lloyd's on-screen presence.

The general production is perfectly satisfactory. It doesn't do anything new or challenging. But it is not really a film that needs to be over-stylised.

With the film covering topics such as rewriting history, there is ironically bits of the film that have altered parts of the actual story to dramatise it about more. It's not a big negative for me. But I still think it needs addressing. This was perfectly fine for me. But I know it could upset a few people that are very passionate about this topic. I think those alterations didn't effect my overall view of the film mainly due to the strong choices in casting.

Despite that, I thought it was generally pleasant viewing that passes the time well.

It's not a challenging watch, the cast is very likable and it has a feel-good vibe that will please a general audience.

Eating: 7/10