The Railway Man
dir. Jonathan Teplitzky (2013)
After disguising its intent with a quirky, rom-com affable opening, The Railway Man slips into a mix of astutely played modern drama and harrowing WWII POW historical remembrance. The brutality of the latter seeds the emotional clout of Lomax and Nagase’s reconciliation.
The King’s Speech
dir. Tom Hooper (2010)
Focussing on their humanity rather than strict historical accuracy, this exquisitely acted and directed biographical drama brings to screen the relationship — both personal and professional — between serial stutterer King George VI (Colin Firth) and his Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush).
Dorian Gray
dir. Oliver Parker, 2009
Judged without reference to the eponymous novel by Oscar Wilde, this gothic film bucks the trend of unwatchable National Lottery-funded productions and more than repays its modest budget (if only for Colin Firth’s virtuoso support act as the libertine Lord Henry Wotton).