Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell

Helen Mirren stars in The Queen. (Courtesy photo)

That most rare of breeds, the grown-up movie, has connived its way onto movie screens. The Queen stars the amazing Helen Mirren and is directed by the amazingly prolific Steven Frears. Screenwriter Peter Morgan, who also wrote this year’s The Last King of Scotland, may even have given two great actors career-defining roles. Morgan has fashioned a remarkably enthralling movie about an emotionally restrictive culture. The subject matter, concerning the Queen’s reaction to the death of Lady Diana, might seem either too narrow or sensational, yet Morgan and Frears turn the events into a keen examination of England’s pulse during those days. Some may find the material a bit dry, but even with its Masterpiece Theatre pedigree, The Queen is a very watchable piece of filmed entertainment.

When Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) is elected as England’s new prime minister, he doesn’t imagine that his first great challenge will manifest itself in the untimely death of Diana. He knows full well that any new prime minister must strike the right relationship with Queen Elizabeth. But the two have very different thoughts on how to publicly respond to the tragedy. Blair wants to show the people that the government—and the crown—mourns as deeply as they. Of course Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip (James Cromwell) have much more complicated feelings about Diana. In spite of Blair’s carefully honed entreaties, Elizabeth believes that the country would prefer not to see her display emotion in public. As the situation worsens, Elizabeth seems to start losing her footing under the weight of her position. And as the people of England grow increasingly distressed by the behavior of the royal family, Blair surprises even himself by sympathizing more and more with the Queen.

The arc of Morgan’s script is not an easy one to track, yet Frears and company do a tremendous job. There’s a moment late in the proceedings when, searching for the right key to show Elizabeth’s shift in attitude, Philip is leading his grandsons on the seemingly endless hunt of a stag that has made its way onto the grounds. Elizabeth accidentally comes across the creature, and her sympathy for its plight triggers a greater comprehension of her situation. If you go for this moment, you’ll probably be taken by The Queen. It’s the kind of metaphor that few filmmakers dare—or succeed with.

Steven Frears has made lots of movies without really gaining the reputation as a great director. By adding The Queen to a list that includes My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), Dangerous Liaisons (1988), The Grifters (1990), and High Fidelity (2000), Frears proves to be a director who can travel through almost any genre. And this is a far more accomplished film than last year’s enjoyable trifle, Mrs. Henderson Presents.

At some point in a career that now spans nearly 40 years, Helen Mirren went from unpredictable young performer (leaping into a film like 1979’s soft-core Caligula) to venerated actress. It’s hard to find the shift—was it her incredibly brave turn in Peter Greenaway’s self-indulgent mess The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover? Her enduring role as Superintendent Jane Tennyson in the renowned BBC series Prime Suspect? The veteran stage actress had been giving fine performances for years in films like The Long Good Friday (1980), Cal (1984), and The Mosquito Coast (1986). But she went through a renaissance sometime in her mid-40s, and found layers of vulnerability and dogged intelligence she hadn’t previously revealed. Now every Mirren performance is viewed with the kind of reverence reserved for few actresses besides Judi Dench or Meryl Streep. She’s simply fantastic as Elizabeth.

Michael Sheen (Underworld) already assayed the role of Tony Blair for Frears and Morgan in their 2003 teleplay The Deal. Sheen makes a very fine, if far too scrupulous, prime minister. While the film presents most characters in compelling grays, Tony Blair and Prince Philip are disappointingly black and white. James Cromwell (Babe, L.A. Confidential) struggles to keep Philip from falling into caricature, and ultimately loses the battle. Less theatrically convincing is Sylvia Sims (Shirley Valentine) as the Queen Mother. Alex Jennings scuffles, too, in the unenviable role of Prince Charles. It’s nearly impossible to pull off such high-profile contemporary figures, which is why it was so smart to show Diana only in existing clips.

In a year with plenty of enjoyable films but few great ones, The Queen may find itself receiving a lot of attention come awards season. That’s probably more praise than it deserves, but The Queen is a very satisfying piece of recent historical drama. It’s worth seeing for Helen Mirren alone. Those craving a night of grown-up movie watching should not miss this rare opportunity to see such a film in theaters now.

Alex Manugian lives in Sherman Oaks, California and works for the Cartoon Network. He grew up in Groton and has reviewed movies for Harvard residents for many years.