HELEN Mirren not only plays Elizabeth II in this high-quality exploration of the week following Princess Diana's death, she wound up being crowned Queen of the Oscars, too.
And very deserved it was, for a performance that often feels like you're actually watching the real sovereign.
She's just one in a superb cast that provide so much more than Dead Ringers-style impressions of the key figures.
Michael Sheen is fantastic reprising his role as Tony Blair (whom he played in TV's The Deal), here an idealistic young PM and pretty much the hero of the piece.
It's an odd dramatic structure, but this is not about the plot - and it's a very impressive film.
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