‘Phenomenal’ period drama stars ‘finest actress on screen today’ | Films | Entertainment

Film fans looking for a captivating new period drama should try this one which is streaming on Sky, which has been praised by audiences. 

This comes after other viewers have enjoyed a TV series adapted from the works of a “superb” author, a “masterpiece” period crime drama and an “excellent” Shakespeare adaptation. The film has been lauded by many on IMDb and currently holds a 7.2/10 rating on the platform. 

One person praised the film in their 10/10 review and hailed it as a “strong” period drama and commended the lead star for another “brilliant characterisation”. 

They went on to say of that it was a “sprightly, entertaining and engrossing study of a moment in the life of enigmatic Queen Victoria”. 

The reviewer continued in their critique and said the piece boasted an “outstanding production crew” and a “fine cast”, which meant it “succeeds on every level”. 

Moreover the lead was named as “one of the finest actresses on the stage or screen today”, with their performance in the movie simply underscoring this.

A second reviewer on the site awarded a 9/10 to the film and declared it to be a “treasure”. They lamented the lead missing out on an Oscar for their performance and stated the supporting star should have also received their own deserved nod. 

They concluded: “This movie is magnificent; one of the best I’ve seen in a long time. Even if you think this kind of thing is too Masterpiece Theatre, I think you would enjoy this.”

A third penned in their 9/10 review: “This film is a fantastic love story,” however, they clarified that this wasn’t a romance but “different” relationship. 

The reviewer explained: “It is the story of a servant’s love for his queen; it is the story of a woman’s love for the man who has given her life meaning; it is a story of two best friends, who ignore social circumstances and care deeply for one another. 

“The story is nearly flawless, combining the historical situation and circumstances with intense and riveting emotion.”

Yet another hailed the performances of the two main characters as “phenomenal” and said it was a “moving drama about terrible grief being assuaged through loyal friendship”. 

They praised the main duo for playing such “complex” characters and said the audience was “able to look upon their souls in this portrayal”. 

Mrs Brown first came out in 1997 and followed the deep friendship between a grief-stricken Queen Victoria (played by Judi Dench) and her Scottish servant John Brown (Billy Connolly).

Set in 1863, the movie charted how Brown was summoned to court to help coax the great monarch out of mourning after years of seclusion.

Although Brown was successful in helping to bring Queen Victoria back to the public, his presence led to growing resentment among politicians and members of the Royal Family due to his influence over the monarch. 

The film’s title Mrs Brown was also used at the time to allude to an improper and possibly sexual relationship between Queen Victoria and Brown. 

Along with Dench and Connolly, Mrs Brown also starred As Time Goes By star Geoffrey Palmer, acclaimed stage and The Shadow Line’s Antony Sher, Hollywood star Gerard Butler, and BBC’s Strike star David Westhead, among others. 

Mrs Brown was nominated for a slew of Oscars and BAFTA Films Awards, among other accolades, however, the movie came out in the same year as Titanic which swept the board during awards season.

Although Dench lost out in the Best Actress Oscar category, she walked away from the BAFTA Film gong in the same category. 

Dench would go on to play Queen Victoria once again in 2017’s Victoria & Abdul, 20 years after portraying the monarch. 

Mrs Brown is available to stream on Sky for a fee 

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