Weekend Movie Night: The Last King

I recently finished reading historical novels about the mother and wife of Charles II of England, so this was a serendipitous find while browsing Netflix: The Last King - The Power and the Passion of Charles II. We plan to watch this movie tonight. I hope not too much artistic license has been taken with the characters, but the reviews seem positive. I was disappointed to read that this American version is an hour shorter than the BBC version.


Amazon.com
It's not always good to be king in this fascinating BBC/A&E historical drama, featuring a complex performance by Rufus Sewell as the exiled British monarch who returned to a volatile, post-Cromwell England in the 17th century. Pressed to forgive the enemies who killed his father, Charles II takes the throne and finds himself squeezed from all sides by vicious power brokers, his vengeful mother (Diana Rigg), a manipulative mistress (Helen McCrory), dubious advisers, a contrarian best friend (Rupert Graves), and his bewildered Portuguese wife (Shirley Henderson). Problems with the Plague and Charles's own, restless libido further complicate family and political dramas, but beneath the king's operatic tenure are visible strains of progressive government: Charles, after all, ushered in an early era of democracy in England. The Last King's sharp script never slows, but it's the cast's intense performances that bring royal intrigues to life. --Tom Keogh



Update: Not that great - superficial coverage of history, lacked character development, vulgar, explicit sexual content(too much). Disappointing.