Review of Hyde Park on Hudson (2012) by Dawdlingpoet — 27 Nov 2021

I found this film to be a bit slow and rambling and while the characters were interesting, there wasn't enough obvious plot direction or development to keep me really glued. I'm a big fan of Bill Murray and I thought his performance as FDR wasn't bad - he comes across as a bit of an eccentric but a relatively laidback one. I also enjoyed seeing Olivia Colman playing Queen Elizabeth - there is a somewhat amusing aspect of it whereby the British royals don't know quite what to make of the different, American culture they find themselves faced with. There is definitely an element of pompousness present as well, I felt.

I believe the film is based on a true story, if but loosely - I'd be more interested to read about the real story, than see a semi fake reconstruction.

Overall the film was a bit too bland for my personal taste - not utterly unwatchable but a little plodding, twee even, if anything. However, if you enjoy period/costume dramas and like Olivia Colman and/or Bill Murray then you may enjoy this, its a fairly average watch but thats about it, in my opinion. I did wonder if some of the dialogue was meant in a tongue in cheek way but I suppose we'll never know. I also felt that the music (classical/orchestral pieces)was a bit distractingly loud at times as well, as if the filmmakers were desperately trying to make the viewers feel utterly taken in and absorbed by the film and I found that off-putting personally.