The Lost King Review – Entertaining True Story, A Must See

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Category: Film

Published on Saturday, 18 March 2023 10:55

Written by Janet Walker

The Lost King, from IFC Films, presents the story of an unlikely hero, as an amateur archeologist armed with only research, determination, and feelings, believes she has discovered the location of the remains of King Richard III.

The film begins with Philippa Langley, played by Sally Hawkins, suffering another discrimination, as she is passed over again for a place on the Super Team at her employment. She recognizes she suffers from ME, a real disease, which she is forced to remind others of repeatedly, and causes mild debilitation when she is overwhelmed with stress.

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Her ex-husband, John, played by Steve Coogan, remains devoted to the family and her, and is always around helping out. He also has moved into his own apartment and is once again in the dating world, which is not as simple as apps would like the world to believe.

Tonight, Philippa is attending a performance of Richard III, with Harry Lloyd as the lead. Something about the account of King Richard seems to resonate, and more it sticks to her, and she is unable to resolve the moment or dismiss it even with the flurry of her life and the care of her two sons.

Becoming consumed with the small beginnings of an idea, and even then, she is unsure where it will all lead, she begins to have visions of King Richard, which she attributes to an apparition and soon she follows one step and begins to gather research materials. Over the course of time, she has become an armchair scholar on King Richard III, his life and more importantly his death and burial.

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Of course, she is dismissed by the real scholars who have devoted their lives to theories that have resulted in prestige, degrees, awards, and recognition, and meets up with a merry band of King Richard outcasts, a society of commoners, each who have insights, ideas, skills, talents, and knowledge that is overlooked by the intellectuals.

Convinced she has found the remains of King Richard III which, as 500 years of history has enforced into the minds of society, is impossible. She submits a proposal to the local university, the city and others to for funding. While it seems as though she has finally met a group of individuals who recognize her intelligence and abilities, she has in fact become a pawn.

Finally, united with the King Richard society, a worldwide organization that through crowdfunding raises the money to fund the dig, after the university and others withdraw their funding and fire the archeologist, Richard Buckley, played by Mark Addy, who either does or does not, a question the film leaves up to the audience, assume ownership of the remains, if they are found. The dig begins.

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The Lost King is an entertaining film. It has all the elements that will have audiences rooting for the somewhat off-kilter heroine, in this truth is stranger than fiction story. The one drawback, for me, is the timidity of the protagonist, Philippa. I wanted her, after she had finally proven her theory, to rise with authority and take the glory she deserved.

However, she is pushed aside and even with others trying to help elevate her to the leadership position, she steps aside, allows her moment to be usurped by a phone call or other trivial interruptions, each of these then resulted in her losing the greatest moment of her life to a group of publicity seeking bullies.

Obviously, the performances resonate with authenticity, especially Sally Hawkins who embodies this character with truth, as the character becomes recognizable as an anyone in the morning commute and faces the backlash of finding her calling and shaking off the labels that have held her.

The Lost King, a magical adventure illuminated by one woman's awakened sense of purpose, is a tale of discovery, obsession, and stolen glory. The Lost King opens in theaters March 24, 2023. See it.  

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Country: UK.

Language: English (British humor and slang).

Runtime: 108minutes.

Director: Stephen Frears.

Producer: Christine Langan, Dan Winch and Steve Coogan. 

Writer: Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope. 

Cast: Sally Hawkins, Steve Coogan, Harry Lloyd, Mark Addy, Alison Peebles, James Fleet, Sharon Osdin, Lewis Macleod, Benjamin Scanlan, Adam Robb, Robert Jack, Jessica Hardwick, David Ireland, Violet Hughes, Josie O'Brien, Phoebe Pryce, Richard Taylor.