A United Kingdom (2016)
Director: Amma Asante.
Rating: 3/5 Good worth watching
Synopsis
London, just after the war and two very different people meet by chance and fall in love. Seretse (David Oyelewo) is black and the heir to the throne of a British Protectorate in Africa. Ruth (Rosamund Pike) is a white, working class English girl. Despite the objections of their relatives, they marry and move their life to his native country Bechuanaland. There, they face locals who are bewildered and hostile to their nuptials. Over time, the couple win the people over, but have to battle the British government who, still reeling from the collapse of the Empire, are desperate to hold on to land they essentially own and is rumoured to be mineral rich.
Review, by Jason Day
A number of high-profile films with an emphasis on black-conscious storylines from black film talent have been released or are due for release this year.
Joining that roll call is this beautiful looking British entry, starring two of our highest profile movie talents Oyelewo and Pike as real-life trail blazers whose love and marriage, whilst not nearly destroying an empire as the movie's tagline suggests (India's independence a few years before effectively scuppered British Imperial rule), certainly caused a big political fall-out about the ownership of Becuanaland (Botswana).
Looking at political and social themes such as interracial marriage in the past through the lenses of modern day eyes that wouldn't bat a lid at, is a bit like comparing apples with oranges.
Asante's film, oddly, deals with this core theme in a callow, hurried way but the wider issues of racism, prejudice, the politics of Premiership and the threat of apartheid are given a far more robust treatment. The film may not be a front-runner to challenge Oscar being so white, but it is still a strong film that can stand proud amongst the other films of 2016.
For more, see the full review: here
Cast & credits
Director: Amma Asante. 111mins. Film United/Harbinger/Pathe/Perfect Weekend/Yoruba Saxon. 12(a)
Producers: Brunson Green, Peter Heslop, Charlie Mason, Rick McCallum, Justin Moore-Lewy, Michael Solinger.
Writer: Guy Hibbert.
Camera: Sam McCurdy.
Music: Patrick Doyle.
Sets: Simon Bowles.
David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Jack Davenport, Tom Felton, Laura Carmichael, Terry Pheto, Jessica Oyelowo, Vusi Kunune, Nicholas Lyndhurst.
