VICTORIA and ABDUL – Rated PG-13 – 1 hr. 52 mins.
Starring Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Tim Pigott-Smith and Eddie Izzard
Based on the book by the same name by Shrabani Basu, we meet the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland and the Empress of India ~ Victoria (Judi Dench) ~ who is stifled in her world of pomp and circumstance, and. as it seems, is just waiting for her existence on this earth to end…
When two individuals from India are selected to present a gift to the Queen, it seems the handsome Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), has caught her Majesty’s eye, which immediately sparks the old’ girl back to life…
Much to the dismay of her staff and her family, especially her horrible son Bertie, Prince of Wales (Eddie Izzard), Queen Victoria has found comfort in her new found friendship with the handsome stranger Abdul…and as their friendship grows, the Queen sees fit to give Abdul even more power over her affairs, as her friend, her confidant and most importantly, her spiritual advisor, as the years roll by…
Seeing fit to bring Abdul’s family to their royal estate too, Queen Victoria and Abdul form a bond that no neither family or staff can ever sever…no matter how hard they try…
I give VICTORIA and ABDUL a rating of MUST SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN – Dame Judi Dench is vying for another Oscar, as her performance as Queen Victoria is not only majestic, but also stirringly marvelous…all at the same time. Fazal’s performance is also first-class, as he plays friend and confidant to the aging Queen, Abdul. And Izzard’s performance as the pompous and irritating Prince of Wales is absolutely fabulous too. Suffice to say that VICTORIA and ABDUL is one of the best films I have viewed this year, leaving me to suggest that you head to a theater near you this weekend and catch VICTORIA and ABDUL on the big screen, as you don’t want to have missed seeing this exquisite film, when all of the accolades start mounting up come awards season!!!
Kathy Kaiser
MATINEE CHAT with Kathy Kaiser 