Our review of The Lost King
■■This review was written by Sara Torres and was originally published on our sister paper Leicester Mercury’s website on September 30, 2022.
THE historic moment which pushed the spotlight on to Leicester has made its way to the big screen, but don’t be fooled – this story isn’t at all about Leicester.
Written by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope and directed by Stephen Frears, The Lost King has its official UK debut next week (October 7, 2022) but it’s already causing quite the stir.
It focuses mainly on the story of Philippa Langley (brilliantly played by Sally Hawkins), the amateur history enthusiast who helped unearth the long-lost remains of King Richard III in an unassuming car park.
It is clear from the start that the writers worked hard on creating a parallel between Richard’s and Philippa’s story.
Richard, mainly thanks to Shakespeare, has been portrayed as a hunchback nephew killer.
Langley, whose ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis, chronic fatigue syndrome) and the fact she’s a woman, are the reasons she’s overlooked in her professional life.
In Richard III, Philippa sees a mirror – another misunderstood person who deserves defending. So, she sets out to learn the truth about him and make history right.
But not without the help of, you’ve guessed it, the actual Richard III (played by Harry Lloyd).
You could see why Richard’s presence in the drama might be considered pointless as he really doesn’t say much, but his character gives an emotional dimension to the story that doesn’t require a lot of dialogue.
Just like in every drama, the plot must have a villain. In this case, our “bad guy” is clearly male bullies – and the University of Leicester.
Throughout the film, Langley is constantly underestimated, pushed aside and ignored.
When she’s finally proven right thanks to her dedication and perseverance, a group of stuffy old male academics take credit for her hard work – something I’m sure a lot of women can relate to.
However, the accuracy of the film is up for discussion.
The University of Leicester has said they were far more supportive
than what the film portrays them to be. They claim their representation was “far removed from the accurate work that took place,” and they were being turned into the villains – which, coincidentally, is exactly what Shakespeare is supposed to have done to Richard III.
A University of Leicester spokesperson said: “We worked closely with Philippa Langley throughout the project, and she was not sidelined.
“We appreciate that while The Lost King is based on real events, it is a work of fiction, and recollections will vary from various people of what happened during such an incredibly exciting moment in history.”
Maybe Richard III wasn’t a “nephew killer” and maybe the villains of this drama weren’t as bad as they seem.
As Langley (Sally Hawkins) puts it so well, we’re all “innocent until proven guilty”.
Underneath it all, it’s lovely to see the great quest which put Leicester in the spotlight on the big screen.
And we should enjoy it for what it is – “based on a true story”.