A United Kingdom (2016) - Film Review
Starring: David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Terry Pheto & Vusi Kunene
Screenplay: Guy Hibbert
Directed By: Amma Asante
Certificate: 12
Since
I saw the trailers for A United Kingdom,
I've been caught between looking forward to, but also being somewhat
apprehensive about watching it. The best possible scenario was that
we were in for a film that puts a wonderful true story of romance on
the big screen, brings two amazing acting talents together and treats
us to a slice of both British and African history. On the other hand,
we could have found ourselves with an overly-sentimental and cheesy
film, and while nine times out of ten, I have no problem with anyone
or anything being cheesy or overly-sentimental (myself included), it
simply wasn't going to work here. So, which did we eventually end up
with?
A United Kingdom tells
the real-life story of Seretse Khama, a law student in London at the
end of WWII, and heir to the throne of Bechuanaland (modern-day
Botswana). While in London, he meets and falls in love with Ruth
Williams, an office worker, and the two eventually marry. However,
when Seretse receives a letter from his uncle, telling him it is time
for him to inherit the throne, his marriage to Ruth faces fierce
opposition from both of their families, as well as the British and
South African governments. Together, Seretse and Ruth must resist
numerous attempts to split them up, and prove that love can triumph.
There
should be no attempt to disguise the fact that A United Kingdom
has plenty to say regarding matters such as gender, race and
even political corruption. I could make a big point about all the
social/political commentary that's here, and how it's all still
entirely relevant today, but if you read any of my other reviews, my
views towards many of the issues A United Kingdom presents
should be clear (but needless to say, the film handles it all very
well). However, one thing I will say is that the film is very fair
and balanced in portraying many different prejudices. It's all too
easy to attribute blame to a certain group of people when it comes to
things such as racism or xenophobia, but this film takes the smarter
and more realistic route and reminds us that it's often much more
complicated than that. For example, Seretse and Ruth don't just
face resistance and attempts to split them up from the British Government,
they initially face the same from Seretse's family in Bechuanaland.
The message we can take from this? We ALL have to make an
effort if we're to end conflict, not just certain groups.
However,
I don't want to leave you with the impression that this is a film
solely about social prejudice and discrimination, because that's not
really the main thing that was left stuck in my head after watching.
A United Kingdom is after all a romance film, and at
its heart, it's wonderfully romantic with two endearing, impressive
leads. Romance is one of the trickier things to get right in film,
and it's an area where so many fall short, but A United Kingdom
really shows us how it's done. David Oyelowo and Rosamund
Pike have recently left strong impressions in Selma and
Gone Girl respectively, so it's great to see these two
brilliant acting talents brought together here. The two are clearly
dedicated to their roles, they share amazing chemistry and their
characters are, out of the films I've seen so far this year, by far
the best romantic pairing I've seen.
Something
I really admire about A United Kingdom is the way it
brings an inspiring true story to a much wider audience. Similarly to
films like Pride, it tells a story that feels as though
it should be common knowledge, but very few knew the story of Ruth
and Seretse Khama until this film was released, and I always love it
when I learn of new real-life stories through film. This story of a
love that shook an empire is also clearly made with great affection
and care from everyone involved. Everyone here is thoroughly
committed, especially David Oyelowo, who off-screen has spoken in
interviews about his love of the story and his desire to treat it
with respect.
Director
Amma Asante is another who's clearly committed to the project, as she
brings some fantastic visual flair to the film. I loved the
combination of British and African imagery and settings, and both
look beautiful. Once again, the UK film industry proves that it can
really bring history to life, as London looks stunning and provides
an immersive trip back to the past. Everything from the city streets
to the interior set design looks incredibly authentic and alive, with
the standouts for detail probably being the dance hall where Seretse
and Ruth first meet, as well as Ruth's home. What really sets A
United Kingdom apart from its contemporaries is its grand
location shooting in Africa, and it's here where the film's use of
bright colour really pops. The breathtaking sandy landscapes are
brought to life by plenty of impressive direction and sweeping shots
of the open villages and roaming wildlife. Thanks to an increased
amount of filming space when compared to the scenes in London, it's
in Bechuanaland where the direction is undoubtedly at its strongest.
While
I do honestly love this film, there is just one thing that feels
sadly absent. As I said earlier, the romance between Seretse and Ruth
is probably the strongest aspect of the film, but with that being
said, the two characters meeting and falling in love did feel pretty
quick and glossed over. I understand writer Guy Hibbert's desire to
focus on the meatier story of the two characters' resisting attempts
to break them up, but it still feels as though A United Kingdom
could have perhaps benefited from an extra ten minutes or so
exploring how the two fell in love. Seeing the origins of Seretse and
Ruth's relationship is still miles better than many other filmmakers
would have managed, but it still feels like the opening fifteen
minutes could have done with an extra polish.
In
the wrong hands, A United Kingdom could
easily have gone wrong and left us with overly-saccharin slop, but
while there may be a few clichés here and there, it's an irresistible
film. With a talented, dedicated cast, plenty of relevant social
commentary and stunning production design, this is one of my
favourite films this year, and certainly the best romance film so
far. It's therefore a real shame that so many people missed out when
it was in cinemas, and the film even failed to make back its
production budget at the box office. Honestly, it's worth finding and
watching this on home media, and I very much doubt you'll be
disappointed...
A United Kingdom
9/10