Matthew D
A magnificent picture elegant in design and modern in its empathy for Victoria's choices.
Canadian auteur Jean-Marc Vallée's British period romance drama The Young Victoria (2009) is masterfully crafted and has an intimate feeling like we really see how Victoria felt before and during her legendary reign as Queen of England. Vallée brings a slick modern direction that is also tender and caring. Vallée excels during his beautiful waltz sequence like Victoria and Albert are flying. His unique direction feels playful and perceptive. The Young Victoria fits nicely with Vallée's other female fronted projects like Wild, Big Little Lies, or Sharp Objects.
Producers Martin Scorsese, Graham King, Tim Headington, and Sarah Ferguson assembled a wondrous team of talent to reimagine Victoria's emotional life. Casting director Susie Figgis found fantastic dramatic actors and actresses, especially an inspired choice of Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria.
Writer Julian Fellowes brings a smart complexity and emotional realness to allow audiences to relate to the progressive Queen Victoria's romantic life, royal hopes for the poor, and clever wit to outsmart royal meddling by those who would manipulate or seduce her. Fellowes' script is so brilliant because of his sincere empathy for how Victoria would feel being raised in isolation and brought to court surrounded by the aristocracy who seek to control her. Fellowes nails her personal desires for a loving husband whom she can speak with candidly for support and ideas, while also seeking to be a strong queen despite her youth and inexperience. The Young Victoria is well written by the famous English writer Julian Fellowes.
Emily Blunt is pitch perfect as a young, impressionable, intelligent, and insecure Queen Victoria as she ascends to power and finds true love. Blunt is breathtakingly gorgeous with a refined elegance befitting royalty. Her Victoria feels expressly modern and concerned for the poor masses of England, while aware of her own frustrations with her lack of agency as monarch. I'd say that The Young Victoria remains Emily Blunt's most captivating, loving, and impressive dramatic acting of her illustrious career. Vallée lets Blunt be a starlet with a gentle and subtle grace as his heroine Queen Victoria.
Rupert Friend is nervous, passionate, caring, and charming as Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Friend can feel romantic and eager, while also showing Albert's apprehensiveness at everything being Victoria's choice in their relationship. He's very handsome and likable in The Young Victoria with a sweet romantic chemistry opposite the lovely Emily Blunt.
Paul Bettany plays an excellent seducer and sleaze in the guise of an informed friend as Lord Melbourne. Miranda Richardson is pretty and indignant as the impertinent Duchess of Kent, conniving for a way to manipulate money and power from her daughter Victoria. Mark Strong is fierce and imposing as the controlling and demanding Sir John Conroy. His fury and insistence shows his desperation to control Victoria by any means he can conjure.
Jim Broadbent is loud, concerned, and outrageously funny as King William IV. Thomas Kretschmann is shrewd as the clever King Leopold I of Belgium, who seeks to ally England and Belgium through Albert's marriage to Victoria. Jesper Christensen is excellent as the cunning Baron Stockmar who molds Albert to be the perfect suitor for Victoria. Harriet Walter's Queen Adelaide is supportive and nice. Jeanette Hain is appreciated as the always worried and kind Baroness Louise Lehzen, who is out for Victoria's best interests. Julian Glover's stern and blunt portrayal of The Duke of Wellington comes across as honest and mature.
Editors Jill Bilcock and Matt Garner really cut carefully to always focus on Victoria's reactions and feelings as others try to order or manipulate her. Their deft editing shows off an impressive precision and expressiveness unique to Vallée's style. Bilcock and Garner's swift cutting style creates a brisk pace that lets 105 minutes breeze by easily. Cinematographer Hagen Bogdanski has a sleek and lush camera style. I love the way the camera slowly pans forward or around Victoria. Every close-up and medium shot feels intimate like we're right next to Emily Blunt.
Production designer Patrice Vermette recreates classic English royal locations in Victoria's era. Art direction from Alexandra Walker, Chris Lowe, and Paul Inglis has a golden glow and brilliant lighting. Maggie Gray's set decoration is quite ornate and fun to look at throughout The Young Victoria. Composer Ilan Eshkeri's mesmerizing orchestral film score is really resplendent. His gentle piano parts and soft string add a loving touch to The Young Victoria.
Costume designer Sandy Powell delivers phenomenally luxurious and detailed period accurate gowns for Emily Blunt in The Young Victoria. Her lush color choices bring a vibrant brightness and extravagant elegance with every lovely dress. Powell should be proud of her pristine gowns and regal garments for The Young Victoria. Makeup artist Jenny Shircore does pretty pink blush and very neat ladylike makeup for Emily Blunt's charming face. Hairstyling from Jon Henry Gordon puts up the court's lady haircuts in very poise regalia.
In conclusion, The Young Victoria continues to charm me with its stunning technical precision from Canada's late master director Jean-Marc Vallée alongside Emily Blunt's intelligent cunning, playful charm, deep empathy, and sheer beauty as Queen Victoria.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
05/22/23
Full Review
Valerie T
For anyone that likes period pieces, the Young Victoria depicts one of the most venerated monarchs in UKs history as human and vulnerable and how she grew stronger and more capable in those first years of her reign. The love story between her and Albert is one for the ages and its sweet beginning is endearing to watch.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
05/14/23
Full Review
Joe R
Sets, cinematography, costumes, and cast are top notch, but there is absolutely no story. Not sure why everyone is rating this film so highly. I really do enjoy Julian Fellowes' projects and I also like Emily Blunt, Paul Bettany, and Rupert Friend. In addition, I'm a big fan of historical fiction/costume dramas, but I was bored to tears by this film. I got through 90 minutes of it and wanted to shut it off, only 10 minutes before the end!
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
04/09/23
Full Review
isla s
This is a pretty well made historical drama, with lots of lavish dances and pageantry shown. I liked the costumes and the cinematography generally. The story I was pretty familiar with, having seen the TV series Victoria and so on. Emily Blunt does give a good performance, while Rupert Friend plays prince Albert. It may be regarded as a little sentimental perhaps but I think it's a pretty decent film. all in all - just not exactly greatly memorable but equally not bad. I should note that there were quite a few instances of hushed dialogue, which I found a bit hard to follow entirely and so might frustrate some.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Jacqueline C
I love period pieces but not all are fit to play the parts. This movie had great selection of actors in particular Emily blunt is this is superb. She plays the part of Victoria with such poise and perfectness and looks beautiful in the costuming. Prince Albert played a great roll also. All in all was informative movie but wrapped in enough beauty and wit to keep my attention and left me wanting to learn more about queen Victoria and her amazing reign!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
08/15/22
Full Review
michael t
Emily Blunt carries this film with a fine portrayal of the young Victoria. It shows the family and political intrigues she encountered both before and after she came to power. As a young woman monarch she quickly rose to the challenge, not without a few missteps along the way. Its main story is her romance with Prince Albert which is delicately portrayed. It is a bit slow moving at times. At an hour and forty minutes it still feels a little longer than it needs to be, but the story carried me along as I felt engaged with the main characters. If you like historical dramas, this should not disappoint.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
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