The Lost King – ABC Film Challenge – Set in England – L – The Lost King – Movie Review
Director: Stephen Frears
Writer: Steven Coogan, Jeff Pope (Screenplay)
Writer: Michael Jones, Philippa Langley (Book)
Cast
- Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water)
- Steve Coogan (Philomena)
- Harry Lloyd (The Theory of Everything)
- Mark Addy (Game of Thrones)
- Adam Robb
Plot: An amateur historian defies the stodgy academic establishment in her efforts to find King Richard III’s remains, which were lost for over 500 years.
Runtime: 1 Hour 48 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: The Lost King starts as Philippa Langley (Hawkins) is going through a difficult divorce with John (Coogan). She suffers from M.E which can make everyday tasks difficult. However, after being passed over for a promotion, she finds herself drawn toward the cast of King Richard III and his missing body.
When Philippa believes she has discovered the resting place of King Richard III, she looks to find people that would help her uncover the truth. However, not everyone is willing to help her search for the final resting place.
Verdict on The Lost King
The Lost King is a drama following one lady who believes she has discovered the resting place of King Richard III. She leads a campaign to put together a support network of supporters to help her conduct a dig. However, not everything has been as easy and she must overcome the odds to make one of the biggest historical discoveries of recent years.
This is an interesting movie because it has an interesting subject matter. It was one of the biggest stories when it happened and getting to dive into some of the smaller details adds some layers to the bigger story. However, the way this movie tells the story comes off in a less-than-exciting manner. It doesn’t seem to create a connection between the characters, the fight Philippa is meant to be going through doesn’t feel as difficult as hinted at. By the end, it just gets done and dusted without hitting any high notes. The performances are good from the whole cast, it doesn’t see the movie standing out.
Final Thoughts – The Lost King ends up feeling like a basic drama on a historical moment.