During his presidency, Franklin Roosevelt (Murray) maintains a residence at Hyde Park, his mother's (Wilson) upstate New York estate. One of his closest confidants there is his sixth cousin Daisy (Linney), who quietly observes the offbeat relationship between the president and his strong-willed wife Eleanor (Williams). Especially since she's having an affair with him. Then one weekend Britain's King George and Queen Elizabeth (West and Colman) come to talk to FDR about helping Europe stand up against Hitler. This informal visit leads to the establishment of a special relationship.

Part of the film is told from Daisy's point of view, including a mousy, rambling voice-over. But because she's such a passive character, underplayed to invisibility by Linney, she's is the least interesting person in the film. Much more enjoyable are scenes we watch through the eyes of the king and queen, played by the terrific West and Colman with a superb mix of wry humour and brittle nerves. By comparison, Murray finds a few mannerisms and generates a twinkle in his eye.

Obviously, this approach throws the film out of balance. If it had been told from the royals' angle, we could take the journey of discovery with them, but it continually cuts back to Daisy, yanking us out of the story we want to see. Meanwhile, the terrific Williams is sidelined: we'd love to know more about Eleanor, and to meet some of her furniture-making "she-male" friends, but we merely get to hear about them.

Michell shoots and directs it nicely, never trying anything adventurous to get under the pretty surfaces. With nothing raw or real on screen, we can sit back and smile at the backstage antics and, especially, Colman's hilarious reaction to hot dogs, Indian dancing and other possible insults. And in the end, we begin to see that both sides of this story - Britain's plea to America and Daisy's unusual life - could actually be quite provocative movies in braver filmmakers' hands.

themes, language, sexuality

13.Oct.12 lff