The Young Victoria

Think of Queen Victoria and your first thoughts will almost certainly be of a stout, dour woman who was often heard to remark, “we are not amused.” However, this caricature only refers to the later years of her long reign, and not to the turbulent beginning. It is this altogether more unknown era which Jean-Marc Vallée’s stunning costume drama seeks to illuminate.

We join the young Queen at the age of eighteen, as she battles to become master of her own destiny rather than a mere pawn in the hands of her overprotective mother and ambitious politicians. Aside from this political intrigue, the film also deals with the now legendary marriage and courtship between Victoria and Albert and its troubled beginnings.

Emily Blunt gives an engaging and very human performance as this often misrepresented monarch. Even the smaller roles are played by an all-star cast which boasts such talents as Jim Broadbent, Mark Strong, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson and Rupert Friend, all of whom give stellar performances. This is a beautiful costume drama which is bound to captivate anyone with even a passing interest in British history, and a must-see for anyone who enjoyed recent costume dramas such as The Duchess or The Other Boleyn Girl.

Katy Froggatt