Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren truly are national treasures and seeing them together on the big screen for the first time is pure joy. It also sets the film up that they’re in, The Duke, to feel lighthearted and full of warmth which is the best way to describe the film. Sadly director Roger Michell passed away late last year so it was also bittersweet to watch the talented filmmaker’s last film in the cinema.
The thing I love about films based on true events is how gripping they are and what you learn from them. The Duke is one of those films that feels stranger than fiction. It is hard to believe the events within the film actually took place. That’s the joy of the film though, and I was surprised to learn about Kempton Bunton and his crusade to get a free television licences for pensioners. It’s something that hasn’t made an impactful legacy in British culture, but the film shows a few ways and a few nods to how the story has subtly changed the way we view the elderly in our country.
So for those of you who don’t know the story behind the film, The Duke is revolved around real-life taxi driver Kempton Bunton who is at the end of his rope in starting a revolution to spark fury at the government for not looking after the elderly. Kempton goes to extreme lengths in his battle against the government by traveling to London and stealing the titular famous Goya painting, the Duke of Wellington. The story is a mix between a drama and a comedy, a dramedy as you will, with little focus on the heist itself which is rather disappointing. Instead, the story focuses on the before and after the event and the consequences that followed.
The structure did mislead me as I was expecting to see more revolving around the heist. The highlight of the film is when Kempton was eventually taken to court. Jim Broadbent really does inhabit the role of Kempton, with his mannerisms and personality shining through the sharply written script which is clearly evidenced in the later half of the film. Helen Mirren also does a good job at portraying his wife, Dorothy Bunton, but sadly she is really underused and is left in a role where she mainly sits around at home.
Despite these few flaws the film is a pleasure to watch and I had a smile on my face as I left the cinema, and it isn’t a long film either. The cinematography, sets and props do transport you back to the 1960s and it reminds you have tough life was back then. Roger Michell has previously brought to life classic films such as Notting Hill and Enduring Love, and the tone of The Duke perfectly matches those films and is a worthy final addition to his filmography.
★★★☆☆
3/5
The Duke isn’t a film that will make a lasting impact, but it does feel special. Everyone involved in making the film really do bring this story to life. It’s refreshing to see a story like this on the big screen, especially with blockbusters and big budget movies dominating cinema’s these days. It is films like The Duke that remind us that we are human and we aren’t perfect but our hearts are always in the right place. This is a film I would definitely recommend everyone to watch!
Thanks for reading today’s blog!
Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions
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