Hyde Park on Hudson

Hyde Park on Hudson casts Bill Murray as Franklin Delano Roosevelt and follows the 32nd President as he prepares for (and eventually hosts) a visit by Britain’s King George VI (Samuel West) and Queen Elizabeth (Olivia Colman), with the film primarily unfolding through the eyes of FDR’s sixth cousin and lover Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney). There’s little doubt that scripter Richard Nelson’s decision to place so prominent an emphasis on Linney’s character initially holds the viewer at arm’s length, as Margaret, despite Linney’s typically fine work, is simply unable to establish herself as an intriguing or worthwhile central character – with the strength of Murray’s performance ensuring that one can’t help but wish that Margaret had been omitted entirely. It is, as such, not surprising to note that the movie improves substantially once the King and Queen arrive on the scene, with the inherently amusing fish-out-of-water bent of their initial scenes proving instrumental in resuscitating the viewer’s flagging interest. The ensuing culture clash – the Royal pair debate whether or not George should eat a hot dog, for example – ensures that Hyde Park on Hudson is at its best during its unexpectedly watchable midsection, with the movie’s highlight a stirring sequence depicting a heartfelt chat between West’s George and Murray’s FDR. The subsequent third-act emphasis on Daisy’s comings and goings lamentably brings the proceedings back down, and there’s ultimately little doubt that Hyde Park on Hudson would’ve fared a whole lot better had it focused entirely on Roosevelt and the King’s appealing exploits.

**1/2 out of ****