THE LOST KING REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2012, the discovery of the remains of the King Richard III dominated the news. However, although the University of Leicester took credit for making the discovery, it was actually amateur historian, Philippa Langley, who should have been the centre of the news story as she spent most of her earnings researching Richard III and found out that his body was buried underneath a car park. This fascinating news story inspired Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan’s script for The Lost King, which is directed by Stephen Frears, a filmmaker who previously worked with the writers, Philomena. However, is The Lost King as compelling and enjoyable as Philomena?

In 2012, having been lost for over 500 years, the remains of King Richard III were discovered beneath a car park in Leicester. The search had been orchestrated by an amateur historian, Philippa Langley (Sally Hawkins), whose unrelenting research had been met with incomprehension by her friends and family and with scepticism by experts and academics.

Although it doesn’t tug on the heart strings like Philomena did back in 2013, The Lost King still tells the life affirming true story of Langley, who refused to be ignored and who took on the country’s most eminent historians, forcing them to think again about one of the most controversial kings in England’s history. The film shines a spotlight on Langley and reveals how she made the extraordinary discovery and, as a result, makes for a fascinating watch for the majority of its 108 minute runtime. While most of the story is true, Richard III (Harry Lloyd) appearing physically to Langley is a fictional element. At first, his appearance is puzzling and never really explained, however, he provides Langley with a listening ear as she shares her thoughts with him. Those looking for a lighthearted and entertaining drama that is inspired by a fascinating true story will, most likely, enjoy what director Stephen Frears and writers, Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan, have created with The Lost King.

The standout aspect of The Lost King is Hawkin’s performance as Langley. Although she looks nothing like Langley, Hawkins still succeeds at capturing her determined personality and makes her an easy character to root for. Because Langley suffers from myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, which flares up when she’s stressed, it makes her all the more admirable. Hawkins is known for portraying likeable characters with warm and friendly personalities and that’s the case with her portrayal of Langley. If there is a flaw to her portrayal, it’s that Hawkins doesn’t resemble the real life Langley. A quick Google search reveals that Langley has blonde hair in comparison to Hawkins’ short black hair. However, that’s irrelevant and doesn’t take away from Hawkins’ shining performance. 

What’s surprising about The Lost King is that it’s not a laugh out loud comedy nor is it a manipulative drama that tries to tug on audiences’ heartstrings. The tone is lighthearted and, with a runtime of 108 minutes, makes for a quick and easy watch. Unsurprisingly, most of the comic relief is provided by Coogan as Langley’s laidback and supportive ex-husband, John. Langley also finds encouragement from an organisation known as the Richard III Society. While the Society consists of interesting characters, they aren’t given much screen time to leave much of an impression. Although I think that The Lost King would have still worked if it had focused entirely on Langley and her discovery, the University of Leicester are viewed as antagonists as they steal the spotlight from Langley. As a result, the University of Leicester have criticised the film for their negative portrayal.

Because it’s not a special effects filled blockbuster that needs to be watched on the biggest screen possible, The Lost King is one of those films that can be enjoyed at the cinema or at home. However, I still think that it’s worth watching at the cinema as it’s a crowd pleaser and makes for a thoroughly entertaining watch as it tells the true life story of an ordinary woman who made an extraordinary discovery.

7/10