A UNITED KINGDOM

Review: Based on extraordinary true events that took place in 1947. A story about King Seretse Khama of Botswana and the controversial marriage to Ruth Williams, a British white woman from London. This put his kingdom into political and diplomatic turmoil.
Director: Amma Asante
Actors: David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Tom Felton, Jack Davenport, Laura Carmichael, Jessica Oyelowo, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Jack Lowden
Year: 2016
Genre: Biography, Drama and Romance
Conclusion: 4/5
This is from the same director who directed the amazing Belle (2013) which was one of my favourite films of that year. I think she is such a talented director. I was really shocked and surprised when this didn’t get any Oscar/Bafta nominations I thought it was so good. Maybe because it wasn’t out yet in America before the nominations/voting had begun I don’t know. They certainly missed out there on a really good film. I am already looking forward to her next film that she is working on at the moment called Where Hands Touch (2017) starring the brilliant George MacKay and also upcoming actor Will Attenborough. The second half was better than the first. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with the performances but I did think they were much stronger than the first half rather than the second half. Both David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike starred together in Jack Reacher (2012). It is so hard to make a good film which has an important message in and I think Amma Asante has done an amazing job. I just wish that there were more female directors who can produce a film like this. I enjoyed the film score and thought it worked well. One thing that is also incredible was that they were filming this in the 50 degree heat and yet it doesn’t actually show with the actors. All of the Botswanan people were invited to be an extra in the film. It turned out that on the first day of filming, 3000 people turned up. The scenes in London and Botswana are beautifully shot. A true story which I knew nothing about.