A deft, smart film for adults

The Queen opens today. It's getting great reviews as it should. It's a deft drama and comedy. And by deft, I am not just talking some quick, witty dialogue. There are so many movies - even good ones - that overstay their welcome. The Departed pushed it last week. This Stephen Frears movie contains nothing extraneous.

One thing to keep in mind when you go: WWII was really hard for the British. They obviously lived through being bombed and years where it seemed the Germans could cross the Channel. But even after V-E Day, it took them years of rationing and privation to pull out of the economic slump. Mirren's Elizabeth mentions the war multiple times and a "shift in values" that she doesn't understand.

If you're looking for a DVD, one of Frears' less know but really good movies is The Hit. It's an unpretentious gangster film.