WARNING! Small spoiler ahead, although obviously most of the plot is pretty well known to everyone...

This was pretty good. Mirren, of course, shines. The camerawork, costumes and settings are WONDERFUL, like being in the Palace. Also, Tony Blair had only been Prime Minister for a few months at that time, and a lot of the film was about him coming into his own and forging a relationship with the Queen.

And since the movie is about people who are now living, they had to be careful how everyone was presented; for instance, Prince Philip, played by James Cromwell (whom we like, but why was he chosen for this role?) is much nicer and more involved in the Queen's life in this movie than in reality (yup, I read about these people, my dirty little secret is out).

So there aren't any big emotional crises or AHAs or scenes or anything like that. The biggest liberty the filmmakers took was to show a beautiful 12 point buck that Elizabeth sees and is impressed by, kind of bonding with it. Later on in the film, she hears that it's been shot and goes to a neighbor's house and sees it hanging up, dead. Mr. Otter and I both thought that it was rather silly to show her regret over this, since she comes from a hunting family and is not at all sentimental about this sort of thing. Seemed to be out of character.

Anyway. Perfectly watchable, a bit interesting, pretty. Mostly worthwhile for the interchange between Blair and the Queen. A good rental.