Review of Hyde Park on Hudson (2012) by Matthew C — 19 Jun 2016

Sometimes you think you're about to watch one movie and you end up watching another. Case in point: Hyde Park. I thought Laura Linney, Bill Murray in a unique performance, and a pivotal moment in history all under one roof would be great! Wrong! This film, though well crafted in its technical presentation, is flawed beyond repair in its characters, attitudes, message, and story.

Now I know it's based on a true story so who can argue with history? Well some stories should not be told and this could be one of them. The movie pretty much declares that affairs are OK, that scandalous behavior, immoral conduct, and shameful secrets are all something worthwhile, completely acceptable, and charming when finally shared with the outside world.

Yeah, not going to fly with me. I did enjoy the king and queen and their perception of America. I also did enjoy Murray's embodiment of Roosevelt, but most of the mood of the film, it's dialogue, and it's pacing were drawn out, led to nothing, and just filled with absurdities.

I know Roosevelt and everyone around him were flawed. I know they did great things and made mistakes. I DO NOT need to be instructed to applaud the mistakes and relish history revealed. Who do you root for here, other than maybe the king? What man and woman wants to be like this - unfaithful, selfish, childish, seemingly spouting wisdom one minute and then turning a blind eye to it another.

Who wants to be cheated on? Who desires to be second rate, to be thrown away, to be used? Letters and diaries were found belonging to Daisy and so a movie was made affirming this tragedy. I thought Linney would play Eleanor, I thought this would be about a marriage that supported a presidency.

If that's not history then show me history through the lens of Truth, not through the lens of warped morality. Stay away from this movie. Don't let the elegant scenery, cinematography, production design, music, and costumes fool you.

It becomes a bore at times, strange in places, not relatable in others, and downright false.