Put bluntly, Emily Blunt puts the daffy beneath the regal in “Young Victoria,” produced by Sarah Ferguson, with a sturdy corset by “Gosford Park”‘s Julian Fellowes and dutiful direction by Jean-Marc Vallée (the spritely “C*R*A*Z*Y”). Set in 1837, the historical bones are these: Princess Victoria ascends to the throne amid a power struggle among an earlier generation of family powers. It’s more Royalism for those who enjoy such things done without undue brio, but Blunt’s fleet, eccentric features capture joys the perfunctory telling does not. As Prince Albert, Rupert Friend makes a fetching pairing with Blunt. She’s droll in even the dourest passage. With Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Mark Strong, Thomas Kretschmann, Jesper Christensen, Harriet Walter. 104m. (Ray Pride)
“Young Victoria” opens Friday at Landmark Century.
Ray Pride is Newcity’s Senior Editor and Film Critic. He is a contributing editor of Filmmaker magazine.
Ray’s history of Chicago Ghost Signs is planned for publication next year. Previews of the project are on Twitter and on Instagram. More photography on Instagram.
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Put bluntly, Emily Blunt puts the daffy beneath the regal in “Young Victoria,” produced by Sarah Ferguson, with a sturdy corset by “Gosford Park”‘s Julian Fellowes and dutiful direction by Jean-Marc Vallée (the spritely “C*R*A*Z*Y”). Set in 1837, the historical bones are these: Princess Victoria ascends to the throne amid a power struggle among an earlier generation of family powers. It’s more Royalism for those who enjoy such things done without undue brio, but Blunt’s fleet, eccentric features capture joys the perfunctory telling does not. As Prince Albert, Rupert Friend makes a fetching pairing with Blunt. She’s droll in even the dourest passage. With Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Mark Strong, Thomas Kretschmann, Jesper Christensen, Harriet Walter. 104m. (Ray Pride)
