By Claudia Puig, USA TODAY  Let's say it without equivocation:  deserves an Oscar for his lead role in  Firth invests his repressed character (known to those close to him as "Bertie") with nuance, dignity and humor, leaving an indelible impression. Most of the cast is superb, in particular Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue, the irreverent Australian-born speech therapist, and Helena Bonham Carter as Bertie's supportive wife, Elizabeth (the future Queen Mother), whose belief in her husband never wavers.  The only weak link is Timothy Spall, miscast as Winston Churchill. It's not clear who Spall is playing, but it doesn't appear to be Churchill.  Following the death of his domineering father King George V (a wonderfully imperious Michael Gambon) and the abdication of his older brother King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), the crown falls to Bertie, who'd just as soon it didn't. But the time is England just before World War II, and a leader is desperately needed.  Initially, this pressure only makes the king's speech impediment more pronounced. The movie's overarching question is this: Will Bertie overcome his stammer and orate forcefully enough to rally a troubled country when it needs it most?  Bertie's loving wife seeks out the help of Logue, a former elocution teacher with unorthodox methods.  Their initial sessions don't go well. Logue is informal, with an almost impudent manner. He's as outspoken and self-assured as Bertie is uptight and clinging to protocol.  Even though we know how the movie will conclude, it's the getting there that counts. It's rare to feel sympathy for someone so privileged. Bertie comes off strikingly human, as close to an Everyman as someone of his status can be. There's nothing particularly regal or admirable in his frustration and despairing tendency to want to quit.  Consequently, it's all the more compelling to see if he'll rise to the level required of a sovereign.  Director Tom Hooper powerfully evokes the era with handsome lighting and photography. Intriguingly, Hooper veers away from the sumptuousness expected in a film about royals. Many of the film's most essential scenes take place in Logue's rather shabby London flat. Despite vastly different personalities, the king and the commoner share a droll wit and develop a lifelong bond.  Previously known only tohistorians, the true story, as re-interpreted by screenwriter David Seidler, is enthralling. Firth's performance communicates the psychic agony of a painfully shy man thrust into a highly public position and paralyzed by the idea that an empire hangs on his every word.  The King's Speech is no lighthearted Pygmalion. King George VI sets aside his constricting formality to find his voice, while audiences get a peek into the privacy of royal chambers.  You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference.
Colin Firth stars as the repressed and stammering King George VI, who must lead his country during its darkest hours.