Storyline:

An amateur historian defies the academic establishment in her efforts to find King Richard III’s remains, which were lost for over 500 years.

• Director

  • Stephen Frears 

• Writers

  • Philippa Langley

  • Michael Jones

  • Steve Coogan

  • Jeff Pope

• Stars

• Sally Hawkins

• Shonagh Price

• Helen Katamba

•  

• Review 

• Written by Peter McGinn on 16 November 2022

  I really enjoyed this movie. Mind you, I have been interested in the long suppressed truth about King Richard III for a long time, so at the very least I appreciate a feature film trying to set the record more straight.

  But even setting that aside, I thought the movie was entertaining and interesting. They made a lot of small changes from Philippa Langley’s book describing her journey to discovering the body of Richard III, but it was to give the story more dramatic appeal and quirkiness. It seemed to all work for me. I loved Sally Hawkins in Persuasion and she doesn’t disappoint here. Steve Coogan gives an impressive layered performance, and James Fleet and Mark Addy are two terrific British character actors.

  Having Philippa actually see and speak to Richard III is a device used in many films before, but I think it is an effort to replace strange feelings Langley describes in her story where she felt his presence near where he was buried, even before they confirmed he was there. So I will forgive them that somewhat hackneyed decide. I think the relationship between her and her husband was complex enough to be believable. In my mind I predicted the applause scene at the end, but it did provide a nice closing to the story.