The Young Victoria (2009)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Candy R

  
  Victoria led a very controlled and protected life as heir to the throne. Everyone wanted to manipulate her. The movie covers the early years of her reign and her romance with Albert. Good movie and good cast.

• Spencer S

  
  Besides the creepy syntax that was Princess Victoria's upbringing, there was a veil over the true politics that brought about the royals reforms later on in their reign. The uproar that was England only came to a stead in accordance with Victoria's life. Of course, this film… More
  Besides the creepy syntax that was Princess Victoria's upbringing, there was a veil over the true politics that brought about the royals reforms later on in their reign. The uproar that was England only came to a stead in accordance with Victoria's life. Of course, this film was far more providential of a love story. The ease with which Blunt and Friend bandied about their emotions, their chemistry, the sovereigns' devotion, was palpable to a deep passion unlike any. Beautiful film.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Thomas Kretschmann, Mark Strong, Jesper Christensen, Harriet Walter, Julian Glover Director: Jean-Marc Vallee Summary: Eighteen-year-old British royal Victoria (Emily Blunt) ascends to the throne… More
  Cast: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Thomas Kretschmann, Mark Strong, Jesper Christensen, Harriet Walter, Julian Glover Director: Jean-Marc Vallee Summary: Eighteen-year-old British royal Victoria (Emily Blunt) ascends to the throne and is romanced by future husband Prince Albert (Rupert Friend) in this lush period film that chronicles the early years of the British monarch's larger-than-life reign. My Thoughts: "Whether the film is true to Queen Victoria's life is unknown to me. But I did enjoy the story none the less. It's a great romance story. I loved the scenery and the costumes. The acting was quite good by Emily Blunt. She is an actress who will go far because she can play anything. She was strong, vulnerable, feisty, and loving. I like her acting very much. There is a great supporting cast as well. I particularly liked when Prince Albert put Lord Melbourne in his place ever so politely. I found the relationships in this film to be more interesting then the political take it also had. Very well done film I am really starting to like period pieces. Well, when there this well made."

• Cynthia S

  
  Emily Blunt at her best!

• Carlos M

  
  An engaging, sumptuous royal drama featuring some exquisite art direction and costume design, but what mainly stands out here is both Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend, who shine together as Victoria and Albert and really make us care about the characters.

• Dean M

  
  More familiar with the dour demeanour and full figure of Queen Victoria in her late years, it is hard to imagine that she ever had a youth as beautiful or as lively as that portrayed by the exceptionally talented Emily Blunt. For a princess locked away like a delicate piece of china… More
  More familiar with the dour demeanour and full figure of Queen Victoria in her late years, it is hard to imagine that she ever had a youth as beautiful or as lively as that portrayed by the exceptionally talented Emily Blunt. For a princess locked away like a delicate piece of china and treated like a pawn on the court chessboard, Victoria is both feisty and canny. And that is the problem with the film - it starts getting interesting just as it ends.

• Tom E

  
  I'm not really big on period pieces but I wanted to see this to go with "Her majesty, Mrs Brown" and I really loved it -- It moved along a lot better than some of those movies (I hated "Sense and Sensibility" because I thought it REALLY dragged) -- This showed… More
  I'm not really big on period pieces but I wanted to see this to go with "Her majesty, Mrs Brown" and I really loved it -- It moved along a lot better than some of those movies (I hated "Sense and Sensibility" because I thought it REALLY dragged) -- This showed me what even a Queen had to go thru in the 1800's to get along in the man's world of that day! I really enjoyed this -- Tom

• Lewis C

  
  "You are confusing stubbornness with strength, my dear. And I warn you, the people will not like you for it." I think I've seen more of these British historical/period dramas in the past year than I had seen in the entirety of the previous twenty-three years of my… More
  "You are confusing stubbornness with strength, my dear. And I warn you, the people will not like you for it." I think I've seen more of these British historical/period dramas in the past year than I had seen in the entirety of the previous twenty-three years of my life. I guess I've become somewhat of a fan of the genre. The Young Victoria is similar in quality to the two prior to it that I've seen: The Duchess and The Other Boelyn Girl. I've actually given them all the same rating; but for different reasons. As in those movies, the crucial performance of the film rests on the shoulders of a young actress, and I thought that Emily did an admirable job. I'd put her turn as Queen Victoria slightly behind Keira Knightley's role in The Duchess, and slightly ahead of Portman and Johansson as the Boelyn sisters. She expertly handles the role of a very young, inexperienced woman who steps into position of huge power and must deal with the countless suspect influences of those around her. The settings and costumes are as opulent as one would expect from a movie like this, and perfectly serve to immerse the viewer into upper crust nineteenth century England. The story is also what one would expect, with all the drama and focus on romance that these sorts of movies are known for indulging it. I found the last 15 minutes or so to be slightly disappointing, as they devolved into overly melodramatic romance and a sort of cliché montage that was at odds with the quality of the scenes that preceded it. That earned The Young Victoria a slightly lower score, but it's still a minor complaint. I recommend this to anyone who has a preference for these kinds of romanticized takes on the nobility of yesteryear. It's still not the truly great entry into the genre that I'd like to see (I've heard that Elizabeth is very good, perhaps I should try that), but fans of similar movies won't be disappointed.

• Manu G

  
  Very good Film! I like they way they portrayed Queen Victoria, I thought Emily Blunt did an amazing job on her role and the editing was quite good too throughout this film. Very recommended too to all romantic genre fans. Dominated by her possessive mother and her bullying… More
  Very good Film! I like they way they portrayed Queen Victoria, I thought Emily Blunt did an amazing job on her role and the editing was quite good too throughout this film. Very recommended too to all romantic genre fans. Dominated by her possessive mother and her bullying consort,Conroy, since childhood, teen-aged Victoria refuses to allow them the power of acting as her regent in the last days of her uncle, William IV's rule. Her German cousin Albert is encouraged to court her for solely political motives but, following her accession at age eighteen, finds he is falling for her and is dismayed at her reliance on trusty premier Melbourne. Victoria is impressed by Albert's philanthropy which is akin to her own desire to help her subjects. However her loyalty to Melbourne, perceived as a self-seeker, almost causes a constitutional crisis and it is Albert who helps restore her self-confidence.She proposes and they marry, Albert proving himself not only a devoted spouse,prepared to take an assassin's bullet for her, but an agent of much-needed reform, finally endorsed by an admiring Melbourne.

• Josh L

  
  It's initially hard to wrap your head around all the names and faces since they throw them at you pretty fast, but once things settle in its an interesting bio-pic stuffed full of lush production design and costumes. Emily Blunt is luminous in the title role and the supporting… More
  It's initially hard to wrap your head around all the names and faces since they throw them at you pretty fast, but once things settle in its an interesting bio-pic stuffed full of lush production design and costumes. Emily Blunt is luminous in the title role and the supporting cast is very good. The musical score is also rousing, highlighting the grand moments while making everything feel like we were there, watching Victoria herself take the crown. I very much enjoyed this movie, maybe because I'm a sucker for period pieces, but I feel it's well constructed and acted enough to make the flaws seem inconsequential. It is slow at parts, but I was never bored. It isn't quite one of my favorites of the year, but it is darn close.

• Jake .

  
  This is one of those movies that does absolutely everything that is expected of it, everything that it SHOULD do. We have the traditional British locations and lavish costumes, political corruption and rebellious youth. It does all of these things incredibly well, but it never… More
  This is one of those movies that does absolutely everything that is expected of it, everything that it SHOULD do. We have the traditional British locations and lavish costumes, political corruption and rebellious youth. It does all of these things incredibly well, but it never accomplishes anything more. While it is a wonderful, intoxicating movie, it will always come in second best. The Young Victoria just is not unique and special enough to take the world by storm. That being said, I still enjoyed this movie to no end. This will definitely be remembered as a break-out performance for Emily Blunt. It is unlike anything else she has ever tackled, and there is no denying that she is great. Rupert Friend has the most amazing hair and to top it off, makes a rather nice Albert. I know regrettably little about Victoria's life and reign, so the film may be incredibly accurate, it may not be, I haven't the faintest clue. Either way, the story is played out in incredible, wonderful ways. I honestly carred a lot about what happened to the two lovers. It is not one of the best things I've ever seen by any means, but I really did like it. It is a very easy movie to love if you just give it a chance.

• Alice S

  
  Lush and posh. Emily Blunt adopts a higher voice for her portrayal as the little girl Queen, and she is impressively, quite consistent. Rupert Friend is so dreamy :~) Tangent: It's not often in movies that I see a women look at a man in the same way that a man looks at a… More
  Lush and posh. Emily Blunt adopts a higher voice for her portrayal as the little girl Queen, and she is impressively, quite consistent. Rupert Friend is so dreamy :~) Tangent: It's not often in movies that I see a women look at a man in the same way that a man looks at a woman. Rupert's eyes say love, but Emily's say like. Is it just because I'm a heterosexual female and I look more for male gazes than female gazes? What's disappointing about this film are the few liberties the filmmakers take with history. Albert doesn't take a bullet for Victoria, and NO ONE would leave the presence of the King, no matter how flagrant his diatribe.

• Mark H

  
  Opulent romantic drama set during the 1830s about Queen Victoria, her accession to the throne and her relationship with Prince Albert. The machinations of the court of England are captured in all their back-stabbing glory. We as the audience get an intimate look behind the scenes.… More
  Opulent romantic drama set during the 1830s about Queen Victoria, her accession to the throne and her relationship with Prince Albert. The machinations of the court of England are captured in all their back-stabbing glory. We as the audience get an intimate look behind the scenes. Emily Blunt has a commanding presence as the youthful ruler that draws you into her world. She's matched by a first rate cast that support her skillfully, particularly Rupert Friend as her suitor. Their chemistry is a romance of the highest order. Music, costumes, and sets are transcendent in recreating the look of the period, perfectly complementing the action. Stately and well crafted, but never fussy. This biography has life.

• Summer W

  
  I adored it. It was pretty to look at, fascinating, and HUGELY romantic.

• Bob O

  
  The Young Victoria, directed by Jean Marie Vallee, and starring Emily Blunt (in the title role), is a grandiose period drama studying Victoria's early life and transition from over-protected Princess to matured, self-assured Queen; as well as her passionate love affair with… More
  The Young Victoria, directed by Jean Marie Vallee, and starring Emily Blunt (in the title role), is a grandiose period drama studying Victoria's early life and transition from over-protected Princess to matured, self-assured Queen; as well as her passionate love affair with Prince Albert of Germany (Rupert Friend). Highlights of the film include gorgeous period detail, breathtaking costume and set design, and sharp era dialogue. Everything from the smallest button to the opulent halls of Buckingham Palace are measured attentively to create an exceptional realization of Victorian England. The true high point of the picture, without doubt, is Emily Blunts scintillating performance as the titular Queen. She brings vibrant life to the part. The dynamic of a character thats both strong and vulnerable is quite palpable, and suggests a realistic portrait of the famous monarch. Moreover, the film wonderfully demonstrates the cut-throat political structure of Englands constitutional monarchy cerca 1838. Even while the Queen controls England, a battle insues among the country's elite over who will control the Queen. On the negative side, regrettably, the movie suffers from a muddled focus involving the love story and the political story, neither of which satisfies. The film ends suddenly as if it's only the first part of a ten part mini-series. I couldn't help, but feel cheated by the films lack of true resolution and stunted conclusion. See the film for Blunt's turn, if anything. It's a fair film that gets so much right, but can't wrap up it's entities into any truley insightful conceptualization, in the way other films of it's sort have, including the enthralling Elizabeth, and the brilliant, The Queen.

• Jennifer X

  
  While this is not particularly an illuminating nor interesting period tale, it is still a period tale, and that is enough for me to rate it 4 stars. I'm serious. I think on a primal level I connect to these stories or something. Maybe I was a princess of England in my past life.… More
  While this is not particularly an illuminating nor interesting period tale, it is still a period tale, and that is enough for me to rate it 4 stars. I'm serious. I think on a primal level I connect to these stories or something. Maybe I was a princess of England in my past life. There's not much to say about this film except that the costumes are SUMPTUOUS. I feel like I just ate a really moist chocolate cake.

• Kylie B

  
  I was completely charmed by this film, in particular by Friend's performance. Blunt does well too, and while the script isn't exactly inspired it is at least fairly accurate to history. Which is all I really require for a historical drama in order for me to approve of it.

• Eliza N

  
  Do you believe in love stories ? Do you think those kind of things exist? When always and never as words and as facts don't exist but this true love does ,this film can make you believe............

• Sarah G

  
  <u>Director:</u>Jean-Marc Vallée <u>Released:</u> 2009 <u>Stars:</u> Emily Blunt, Miranda Richardson,Paul Bettany and Mark Strong <u>Genre:</u> Drama <u>Country:</u> UK <b>A dramatization of the turbulent first… More
  <u>Director:</u>Jean-Marc Vallée <u>Released:</u> 2009 <u>Stars:</u> Emily Blunt, Miranda Richardson,Paul Bettany and Mark Strong <u>Genre:</u> Drama <u>Country:</u> UK <b>A dramatization of the turbulent first years of Queen Victoria's rule, and her enduring romance with Prince Albert</b> A thoroughly excellent dramatisation of our longest ever ruler. Stunning locations and some great casting makes this one of the better period dramas out there. Just brilliant. <b>More to follow soon</b>

• Ross C

  
  An enjoyable and worthy dramatisation of the courtship between Albert & Victoria. It's just a shame the movie didn't take the story further. I'd hoped there'd be a trip to Balmoral where the Queen and consort witness the conditions of my poor ancestors. Instead… More
  An enjoyable and worthy dramatisation of the courtship between Albert & Victoria. It's just a shame the movie didn't take the story further. I'd hoped there'd be a trip to Balmoral where the Queen and consort witness the conditions of my poor ancestors. Instead we were just left with some brief captions before the ending credits.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings