Review: 'Victoria & Abdul' is a timeless tale

Posted Tuesday, December 19, 2017 at 3:54 PM Central
Last updated Tuesday, December 19, 2017 at 3:55 PM Central

by John Couture

It was not surprising when the Golden Globe nominations were released last week that Dame Judi Dench found her name among the honorees. She is one of the most nominated actresses of her time. Also, it was even less surprising that she was singled out for portraying British royalty as it has become almost second nature to think of Dench as a Queen.

Judi Dench won her only Oscar (seriously, how does she only have one?) for Best Supporting Actress as Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love. Her first Oscar nomination came in 1998 for playing Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown. So, it's only fitting that she channels Queen Victoria again in Victoria & Abdul.

The parallels between Mrs. Brown and Victoria & Abdul don't simply end at the actress playing Queen Victoria, these films could easily be considered companion pieces that look at the personal life of a British monarch that earned a reputation of having strict standards of personal morality.

While Mrs. Brown focused on the younger years of Queen Victoria, this film shows the royal queen at the end of her reign as she has outlived most of her contemporaries and finds very little left to inspire her. Enter Abdul and the queen is suddenly a new woman much to the consternation of her family and aides.

While there are certainly themes of culture clash that would rival some of the issues that certain isolationist Americans hold true today, director Stephen Frears treats them with a light hand, focusing instead on the comedic elements that stem from their unusual friendship.

The film works because of this comedy and while Judi Dench is spectacular in this department, the real hero of the film is Ali Fazal who plays Abdul. He turns in a fabulous performance and while he isn't getting the same awards recognition as his more famous co-star, his contributions certainly provide a big assist to the success of the film.

These type of period pieces usually don't interest me all that much because I tend to find them a bit slow and boring, but the wit and camaraderie between the two lead actors are quite compelling. While Victoria & Abdul won't get confused for Harold & Kumar anytime soon, the light-hearted take on a historical character that is usually presented in all of her grand stuffiness is greatly appreciated.

If you're a fan of British royalty or Downton Abbey, then you'll definitely want to check this film out. Also, with the upcoming royal nuptials in May, you may find that this film would make an excellent watch ahead of the pomp and circumstance that the royal wedding will almost assuredly deliver.

Victoria & Abdul is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.