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The Lost King

The 100 Most Anticipated Movies of 2022

The Lost King

2022

Stephen Frears

Sally Hawkins, Steve Coogan, James Fleet, Sinead MacInnes ...

6.2

974

Drama In 2012, having been lost for over 500 years, the remains of King Richard III were discovered beneath a carpark in Leicester. The search had been orchestrated by an amateur historian, Philippa Langley, whose unrelenting research had been met with incomprehension by her friends and family and with scepticism by experts and academics. "The Lost King" is the life-affirming true story of a woman who refused to be ignored and who took on the ... [+]

	Media	Author	Review
		Leslie Felperin The Hollywood Reporter	"Pleasant-enough middlebrow entertainment that will serve the cinematic needs of older viewers especially (...) So, aside from all that, the film is… fine, adequate, passably entertaining"
		Ann Hornaday The Washington Post	"With Hawkins's performance at its center, 'The Lost King' winds up being a paean to amateurism and unconventionality. Greatness comes in all shapes, sizes and packages; genius can take any number of forms (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"
		Brian Tallerico rogerebert.com	"Hawkins' work was almost enough for me, but it's a classic case of the true story, and probably the book that first told the true story, being more interesting than the movie about it"
		Alexander Harrison Screen Rant	"Had 'The Lost King' trusted its protagonist enough to let her be the true center, it might have provided a viewing experience worth recommending (...) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)"
		Owen Gleiberman Variety	"'Philomena' was fine, but 'The Lost King' is a growth ring, a richer, stronger, and more moving piece of work"
		Kate Erbland IndieWire	"Hawkins is as delightfully quirky as ever, but this Stephen Frears drama about searching for truth gets lost in its own illusions"
		Seth Katz Slant	"The film only superficially conveys the importance of the historical insights it contains (...) Rating: ★½ (out of 4)"
		Todd McCarthy Deadline	"A modest but thoroughly captivating tale that has the look and feel of so many good British films of 25 or 30 years ago, a quality that can no doubt be attributed to that reliable all-rounder Stephen Frears at the helm"
		Peter Bradshaw The Guardian	"It's a fascinating story but the resulting film insists on a kooky relatability that isn't really there. A misfire (...) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)"
		Carlos Aguilar The Wrap	"Not interested in questioning the British obsession with the royals as part of their cultural identity, 'The Lost King' heads swiftly into the winsome direction one expects"
		Wendy Ide Screendaily	"A winning, if whimsical, account of an ordinary woman achieving the extraordinary"
		Robbie Collin Telegraph	"Flawed but compelling (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		David Canfield Vanity Fair	"'Philomena'’s director and screenwriters reunite for another charming true story, and another brilliant acting showcase"
		John Nugent Empire	"Warmly funny and historically curious, Sally Hawkins’ spirited, humane performance helps overcome a slight lack of dramatic tension (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Gregory Ellwood The Playlist	"In a vacuum, Langley's true story is quite remarkable, but sadly, the elements don't truly come together in this somewhat by-the-numbers film"
		Ross Bonaime Collider	"Thanks to Frears’ touch, and Hawkins’ unrelenting and rousing performance, it’s hard not to get won over by 'The Lost King'"
		Olly Richards Time Out	"It’s all nice enough, yet it feels very low stakes (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Jacob Oller Paste Magazine	"For a film based on fascinating true events, it’s impressive that every element of 'The Lost King' feels as false as a pretender to the throne"
		Mike Shutt SlashFilm	"Its aim is to shine a light on a plucky, intelligent woman who the world cast aside, but she persevered despite the forces against her. The bar it needed to reach was "Perfectly charming," and that's where it landed"
		Kristy Puchko Mashable	"It's the kind of movie that would make a lovely watch on a rainy Sunday, but far from the kind that'll make waves, much less change history"
		Katie Walsh Los Angeles Times	"A film that calls into question our own biases and accepted notions and encourages one to get out there and find the truth"
		Richard Whittaker Austin Chronicle	"Delightful and warmhearted (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"

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