Absolutely Brilliant!

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

My wife and I enjoyed this movie much, we watched it at home on DVD from our public library.The events depicted here are all factual, starting in 1947 and continuing into the 1950s. David Oyelowo, who was so good in "Selma" as MLK, is Seretse Khama, on track to become King of his small African country. He is completing his education in England when he meets his eventual wife, Rosamund Pike as Ruth Williams, a clerk at Lloyd's of London. About a year later they married.Most of the movie deals with the outfall from that marriage. Back in the homeland Khama's people, initially opposed to this white woman to become their Queen, eventually accepted her. But the big problem was being a British Protectorate, the British government prevented this from going forward because they needed S. Africa who objected strongly and at the time was establishing apartheid. So Khama was exiled.The story does end well, not all of this covered in the movie, public pressure on the British helped, and in 1966 Khama became the 1st President of Botswana, serving in that role until his death in 1980 at the age of 59. Today his eldest son, Ian, is the 4th President of Botswana.Good story, good movie!

Directed by Amma Asante ("Belle") this is the true tale of a real-life fairy story, featuring a handsome prince and his love, who can never be his princess thanks to the Machiavellian scheming of court-do-gooders and bureaucrats. The prince in this case is Seretse Kham (David Oyelowo, "Selma") , heir to the throne of Bechuanaland (now Botswana), who meets and falls in love with a lowly white Lloyd's of London clerk Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl", "The World's End"). The plot has many parallels with that of another film from earlier this year:  "Loving" with Ruth Negga and Joel Egerton. As an inter-racial couple in 1947 this is taboo enough, but the fact that Kham is soon to be king in a country bordering the apartheid tinder-keg that is South Africa blows the affair up to be a diplomatic crisis.Defying the officials he marries his true love, driving a wedge between both his own uncle (Vusi Kunene ) and sister (Terry Pheto) and making Ruth an outcast in both countries. As things turn from bad to worse, can true love conquer all their adversities?Just everything about this film delights. Oyelowo and Pike - always a safe pair of hands - add real emotional depth to their roles. Their relationship feels natural and loving without either of them trying too hard. The estrangement of Ruth from her parents (particularly her father played by Nicholas Lyndhurst) is truly touching. Another star turn is Harry Potter alumni Tom Felton, playing Rufus Lancaster - a weaselly and very unpleasant local official. I have a prediction.... that in 30 year's time, the young Potter actor that will be the 'Ian McKellen of his day' (that is, a world recognized great actor... not necessarily gay!) will be Felton.  Sam McCurdy ("The Descent") delivers cinematography of Africa that is vibrant (to be fair, for anyone lucky enough to visit Africa will know, cameras just love the place) and the John Barry-esque music by Patrick Doyle ("Murder on the Orient Express") is pitch perfect for the mood.A beautifully crafted film that older viewers will just love. (For the graphical review, please visit http://bob-the-movie-man.com or One Mann's Moview on Facebook. Thanks).

A United Kingdom is based on the true story of Seretse Khama and the woman he married, Ruth. Seretse, heir to the throne in his native Bechuanaland, is sent as an orphan to study in London where he meets Ruth. Their union is frowned upon by all involved, with racial undertones and government meddling behind it. The movie shows the perseverance of the couple against all that.The story feels familiar, partly because we so recently saw David Oyelowo play Martin Luther King in Selma, another role where race was a major factor. Even though this is a love story at heart, many of the same beats are felt.That, however, doesn't take away from the impact of the movie. The viewer is given time to get to know the characters and their motivation and truly become invested. When Seretse and Ruth meet up against their various obstacles whether in London or Africa the emotion can be felt.The one thing missing from the movie is a true sense of growing unrest by the people being wronged. A key point in the movie is Seretse's banishment from his home to London, and while his people he would serve as king are shown to stand against it, there is never a notion that things could turn for the worse. It would have helped add to the tension if that had been shown, but the focus is clearly more of the love story between Ruth and Seretse.Overall, the film is highly recommended for its love story, its history and its portrayal of perseverance in the face of inequality.

It got the mixed responses from all the quarters, but I had a little doubt that did I watched the same film! Because it was much better than what I have had heard from them. It's a biographical romance- drama from the director of 'Belle'. And like the inspiring life stories of Gandhi, Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. et cetera, this one falls in the same line. All of their life events set in different kind of geopolitical scenario, so do this man's. But it was like differences in the family, which led to geopolitics. Anyway, the history book says, all the great struggles began with some game changing incidents like in this story.Seretse Khama, a king to be to a Southern African nation, now known as Botswana. His/this story was not filled with any violence. In fact, there were none, but political tension was at high. More or less, everything depicted in the film was like a chess game. Each opponent had their time with their pawns moved in the right direction to check their opponents. So he had to play accordingly for his nation and its people. I think he handled so well without any violence and that's why this film was merely a simple drama rather than packed with full of twist and turns and stunts.Like any biopic, it is an inspiring film. The implementation of non- violent tool to fight back was at its best in a film I've seen. Though, he was not like the most intelligent man, fighting it on his way, but an average man with a good education and character. The film opened with his final days in London as his law practice is coming to end. Then, unexpectedly, he meets a white woman. After going out with her for a few dates, they find love for each other. The real hurdle comes between them when the Britain government tries to break their relationship because it would affect their interest in his resourceful nation in Africa and peace with their neighbours.❝Let us not allow the ugliness of this world to take our joy away from us.❞As he was banished from returning to his native, separated from his family, how he works hard to bring the peace and stability to the region, especially to come out of the British oppression was the rest of the story to focus on. An amazing film. I liked it because it was not about heroism or working under a spotlight since he comes from the royal family. His simplicity of life and approach to all the problems was uplifting. I never heard that a nation ever got its independence without spilling a drop of blood. This is the one, at least for me. I mean no guns, or any other kind of weapons, except small, small protests impacting big way. But the big sacrifices were made in other ways. That's the major reason for I love it.Based on the book, 'Colour Bar'. The screenplay was slow, but it required to slow down to impact the atmosphere of passing time as the film spans with just important events for 4-5 years. So, assuming the film lacked depth is a misconception. Shot in both England and Botswana. The two different continents and its landscapes tell the story of its own. I mean the long distance between these two nations and distinct between the cultures, their own agenda to fight what's right for them. The initial part was like a pure romance film, and then suddenly the political tension takes the centre stage. Between the romance and politics, the narration keeps its flow without much progression in the middle section. Yet, impressive.As for me, Seretse Khama was a much, much better role than Martin King Luther Jr. that the David Oyelowo has played. But that role was more popular as it was an American. So this film needs a big uplifted, since the film has not reached a wider audience. Felt like I'm seeing Rosamund Pike after a long time. She was excellent as Ruth. The rest of the cast in the small parts were not bad. It was an Oscar product, but no one ever mentioned that. If you are interested in history of Botswana, particularly in the time surrounding its independence, you should try it. But I think it is a must see film, one of the best films based on a king, a freedom fighter and a husband.8/10