Review

Helen Mirren essentially morphs into Queen Elizabeth II in director Frears' superbly crafted film detailing the immediate impact of Princess Di's death on the House of Windsor.

Elizabeth is old school — stoic, regal, duty-bound, and most definitely drawing sharp demarcation between public and private affairs. She served as driver and mechanic during WWII, ascending to the throne at the age of 25 upon the death of her father in 1952. She is always unswerving and disciplined in the execution of her duties. She and the family are at Balmoral Castle when news of Diana's car accident first hits. The Windsors remain ensconced in the 50,000 acres of Balmoral, surrounded by servants and long-standing tradition, even after Diana dies. Elizabeth doesn't see the event as an issue for the crown or the government: Diana and Charles are divorced, and Di is no longer an HRH.

The isolation of Balmoral is perfect allegory for the Royal Family’s disconnect from the temper of the times. Despite the growing mountains of flowers in front of all Royal residences, despite books of condolences filled with messages appearing at British embassies and consulates worldwide, despite increasingly strident headlines wondering why the Windsors are not with their subjects in their time of grief, Elizabeth's husband insists that people will come to their senses soon, and her mum doesn’t understand the fuss. Only Charles seems to have some comprehension of the situation (and that seems to be at least partially motivated by fears of reprisal). He reaches out to newly-elected Prime Minister Tony Blair, asking him to advise the recalcitrant Royals. No easy feat: Elizabeth's life has been guided by the dictum duty first, self second. Indeed, much of her private life is conducted as an office. The first glimmer of any awareness of her country's profound shift in values shows when she finally deigns to appear outside the walls of Buckingham Palace; many of the messages attached to the mounds of flowers are not kind to the Royals.

Frears seamlessly incorporates news footage to create an almost documentary feel, and in a brief sequence captures the frenetic, obsessive, unending stalking by the press and paparazzi which Diana endured. He also conveys the claustrophobic atmosphere of the Queen's daily life, insulated in splendor, always aware of responsibility, free to shed tears only alone on a stretch of countryside, feeling commiseration for a fallen stag as she was never able for her ex-daughter-in-law. Frears, Mirren and the ensemble have successfully delivered a believable re-creation of recent history, and evoked the surprising emotional intensity experienced by millions around the world.

 -- Ann Yarabinee