Victoria and Abdul
- Aymen Saqib
- Oct 11, 2017
- 2 min read
Rating 7/10
Directed by Stephen Frears
Starring
Judi Dench as Queen Victoria
Ali Fazal as Abdul Karim
Eddie Izzard as Bertie, Prince of Wales
Stephen Frears clearly knows what he’s doing as he unites with Judi Dench to revive her character as Queen Victoria in this unofficial sequel to Mrs. Brown. Dench, who played the queen exquisitely in the 1997 film, is no less of a star in Victoria and Abdul and that is perhaps one of this film’s biggest saving graces.
In 1887, the Golden Jubilee celebration held to honor the Queen’s fifty year rule is the backdrop to the unexpected friendship that blooms between Abdul Karim, a simple man from Agra appointed to present her with a gift, and the regal majesty. He breaks the rules and smiles at the serious, gargoyle-faced Queen; that’s where the trouble begins as the two develop a profound bond based on respect and empathy.
Pretty soon, the Queen’s royal subjects, especially her son Bertie, who is uncomfortably eager to be King, plot to get rid of Abdul. He’s teaching her how to read and write Urdu, and she has taken to calling him “munshi,” the Urdu term for teacher. He can see the lingering pain and sadness in the once youthful heart of the dying woman. Frears handles the oscillation between humorous shenanigans and the much more serious political scheming well.
Through an amusingly witty script, relying on silent tongue-in-cheek humor, the personality of each character in all its depth comes forth; Queen Victoria’s more so than anyone’s.
That’s where the movie falls short. Dench’s portrayal is so layered, Abdul’s seems mild in comparison. The noble qualities of humbleness and empathy are there but it pales in comparison to the Queen. To be fair though, he is shown to have mischief in his heart, a love of adventure and a penchant for omitting inconvenient truths. And yet, through no fault of his own, there is an odd sense of incompatibility between himself and Victoria. The result can be oddly dull at times. It might not be enough to lead to disinvestment but it is enough to be noticeable.
Yet the actors make the most out of the little quirks present in the script that end up being most amusing. Abdul’s companion, Mohammed, manages his fair share of laughs despite his limited screen time (and warranted more attention perhaps than the film dared give him). A disclaimer at the beginning reads, “Based on real events… Mostly.”
We know what to expect from the start and that is the fictionalized adapted-to-big-screen story of a commoner and a Queen; layered with themes of race, privilege and authority. It’s handled well, whenever her royal patrons aren’t acting like cliche racially insensitive caricatures. Whenever Victoria and Abdul flounders though, Frears helms a spot once more with his excellent direction and breathtaking visuals, moving the viewer.
This is not a perfect film and yet, due largely to its wry humor, simplicity and Dench’s irreplaceable charm, it might end up tugging at the heartstrings, perhaps more than you might expect.
And of course, you should view Mrs. Brown, Dench’s previous portrayal of Queen Victoria as she finds solace with her servant after the death of her husband.
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