The Lost King
IFC Films | Release Date: March 24, 2023
6.1
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Ratings
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5
TVJerryMar 30, 2023
Sally Hawkins brings her gawky charm to this role as a woman who was inspired to locate the grave of Britain's Richard III. Her search meets with opposition from noted historians and academics, but she remains steadfast in her dedication toSally Hawkins brings her gawky charm to this role as a woman who was inspired to locate the grave of Britain's Richard III. Her search meets with opposition from noted historians and academics, but she remains steadfast in her dedication to restoring the king's legacy. A phantom version of the ruler also "haunts" her to become a sort of spiritual guide. Director Stephen Frears has told the story with assurance and an upbeat vibe, but not much emotional connection. Even the supportive relationship with her estranged hubby (Steve Coogan) feels cheerful and cursory. Instead of creating an involving personal journey, this feels almost like a documentary with the cast doing re-enactments. Surprisingly, the score by renowned composer Alexandre Desplat is overbearing and intrusive. On the positive side, this is a fascinating true story about one person's commitment and the remarkable historical implications of her quest.… Expand
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6
Paper_KayMar 24, 2023
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's kinda sweet, really. Both lead actors are sweet and the whole story is rather cool in a nerdy, lonely kinda way. Alas, the abysmal budget and a bit of a predictable script wear it down (the whole, oh, funds are being cut, oh no, what will we do now,...). Plus, I have zero idea why Steve Coogan is on the poster, his role is terrible, he's the depressing naysaying ex-husband who keeps making the lead character feel worse in almost every scene. (Ye, I know he's the producer. Terrible.) But I do recommend it, as it is a cute story and I'll watch almost anything with Sally Hawkins anyway.… Expand
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7
davemelbourne58Mar 26, 2023
Poor Philippa Langley.
She suffers from horrible headaches.
She hates her job. Her husband is cheating on her. She talks to herself. A lot. And she's obsessed with cahnging the course of history, and wants to give much maligned King RichardPoor Philippa Langley.
She suffers from horrible headaches.
She hates her job.
Her husband is cheating on her.
She talks to herself.
A lot.
And she's obsessed with cahnging the course of history, and wants to give much maligned King Richard III his due in history.
But how?
The subtitle of this movie should have been The Little Engine that Could.
Without spoiling the movie, Phillippa does her damndest to find out where disgraced King Richard III is buried, and learns the awful truth about how money runs academia in the name of prestige, not about the truth.
Great little movie with nice performances all around.… Expand
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6
SayreTXJul 24, 2023
This was a serviceable dramatization of a woman's obsession with finding a buried king. The writers squeezed her story into the standard three act story structure in rather obvious ways, but if you enjoy tales about England and its historyThis was a serviceable dramatization of a woman's obsession with finding a buried king. The writers squeezed her story into the standard three act story structure in rather obvious ways, but if you enjoy tales about England and its history then you might enjoy this light interpretation of one woman's herculean accomplishment.… Expand
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7
rmurray847Aug 10, 2023
This is Sally Hawkins' movie. Her performance plows past any weaknesses. The film (which is very entertaining overall; don't misunderstand me) is worth seeing on the basis of her work alone. Yes, on the poster's she is co-billed with SteveThis is Sally Hawkins' movie. Her performance plows past any weaknesses. The film (which is very entertaining overall; don't misunderstand me) is worth seeing on the basis of her work alone. Yes, on the poster's she is co-billed with Steve Coogan; but his role is relatively minor. He co-wrote the script, and no doubt helped get the film made. But it's her show.

The basic story: Philippa Langley works in a mid-level, deadend job, and thanks to some health issues, she struggles a little with enjoying day-to-day life. When she's passed over for a promotion mostly because she's not young, she has a minor life crisis. Her marriage has crumbled, her two sons are pretty decent to her, but still clueless and she's a bit at her wits end. In this state-of-mind, she attends a performance of RICHARD III, and is struck by his story and wonders if history has treated him fairly. (Was he really a murderous, villainous hunchback?) She's driven to discovered the truth about him, and dives into history books, a group of pro-Richard "kooks" and finally, into the desire to find the true location of Richard's remains. He's been unaccounted for (and not really sought) for over 500 years. Why would this amateur archeologist expect to have any luck finding the lost king?

As this is a true story, you can readily find out how her journey went. But what any news articles WON'T show you is how this journey became an obsession that ruled Philippa's life for so long. And how she had to fight not only a patriarchy, but a patriarchy full of particularly disagreeable academic snobs. It's a journey of her empowerment, which culminates in a few moments that make you want to just stand up and applaud.

Hawkins navigates us through all of this expertly. We have sympathy for her character even as we recognize that she's a "difficult" person. She's touchy and twitchy. She speaks up at "inappropriate" times. (Inappropriate in quotes, because it all depends on who it's inappropriate to.) She is an unlikely hero, and yet, she ends up a hero to herself and her family. (The world at large is another story.)

This movie is full of moments of very British humor. Everyone is perhaps a bit wittier than real life, but virtually every character has a little room to breathe. Coogan is good in a role that calls for him to be largely unlikeable, yet keep us at least marginally on his side. It's a quiet film that nonetheless moves forward with nice momentum.

The script includes the character of Richard III himself, who appears to Philippa as a largely quiet character, seemingly holding her to account for her actions. To me, this device was really not needed. Philippa's own explanations for what she's doing are strong enough reasons to follow her story avidly; we don't need a "cute" device like a phantom king.

But really, just sit back and let the quietly brilliant Hawkins carry you through the film. She's an engrossing guide.… Expand
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