“The Queen” an Engrossing Character Study

Stephen Frears’ The Queen (A-) is about finding the proper time and place to say one’s peace. For Queen Elizabeth II, perfectly embodied by Helen Mirren, speaking out after the death of Princess Diana is especially difficult. The film details the negotiations between Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) and the queen to help put public closure on a nation’s tragedy. The film does a masterful job of showing all the steps it sometimes takes to move a mountain.