All of the Charm That One Film Can Handle

Read Time:3 Minute, 6 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
The Duke
–

Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
Year Released: 2020 (Venice Film Festival), 2022 (wider release)
Runtime: 1h 36m
Director(s): Roger Michell
Writer(s): Richard Bean, Clive Coleman
Cast: Jim Broadbent, Heather Craney, Stephen Rashbrook, Helen Mirren
Where To Watch: Premiering in New York & Los Angeles on 4/22

Another film was interrupted by a global pandemic. After showing at film festivals worldwide, we finally get the US premiere, initially premiering in New York and L.A. before expanding to additional cities over the following weeks.

Occasionally some films just hit you the right way. The casting, the subject, the acting, the tone, everything about it just connects and makes for a fantastic experience. Sometimes the feeling you get while watching a film is as important as the film itself. Occasionally the perfect storm will happen, and you’ll get both in one.

“In 1961, Kempton Bunton, a 60-year-old taxi driver, steals Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London.” I don’t feel like I’m spoiling anything by sharing the synopsis here, as the film is a true story. Plus, the heart and soul of the film is far more profound than the synopsis alone. Jim Broadbent (Kempton Bunton) and Dame Helen Mirren (Dorothy Bunton) are incredible in this simple but true story of what happens when you follow your heart instead of your brain.

A true British dramedy was cute yet fun. However, we also had enough profound moments that made you feel like there were things at stake during the movie's entirety. Without those more dramatic moments, we would lose the weight of what happens and why it's so important.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming film that strikes all of the right chords, this is something I would suggest. Ultimately I think the story within the story and the motives behind the lead's actions are what made me enjoy the film even more.

For future reference, I will include a spoiler section in some of my reviews from now on. However, I will take the precaution of making sure you know what is coming. While I would never want to ruin the experience for someone, I also feel it's important to share with those who have seen or will see the movie.

SPOILER:
I love that this film was a crime film but one that didn’t rely on the standard tropes that they so often fall into. There weren’t crazy action scenes or car chases down the narrow streets of London. It was all about the dialogue and the actions. I think that proves how strong the film is when it can stand on its own like that. As I alluded to above, the best part is when Bunton heard how much the museum paid for the painting (£160,000), he decided to steal it and ransom it for what equates to a US cable bill but for broadcast TV for veterans. The story gets better and better from there once he realizes how easy it was to nab it.

Thank you to Allied Global Marketing and Sony Pictures Classics for allowing me to screen this gem!

For more reviews and my YouTube channel, please visit linktr.ee/Overlyhonestmoviereviews

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Find my social media accounts on most platforms simply by searching Overly Honest Movie Reviews.

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please say hi or send me any questions about all things movies.