VICTORIA & ABDUL
Director: Stephen Frears
Cert: PG. 112 mins
Victoria & Abdul is the surprisingly funny, mostly true, story of the unlikely friendship between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and one of her Indian Muslim subjects, Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal).
The film draws a lot of humour from the ridiculous world of people-pleasing and vying for power and status that surrounds Queen Victoria. Tradition is obsessively upheld and people are aghast at any tiny mistake of protocol.
Wearied by such nonsense, the no-nonsense Queen is refreshed to find that the servant Abdul is nothing like the rest of them. A warm friendship (sadly, the only proper one portrayed in the film) develops between them.
Power games
The likes of Sir Henry Ponsonby (Tim Pigott-Smith), the heir-in-waiting Bertie (Eddie Izzard), the royal physician Dr Reid (Paul Higgins), and Lady Churchill (Olivia Williams) are all appalled at this, and seek to stop Abdul’s rise through the ranks.
Abdul’s fellow Indian servant Mohammed (Adeel Akhtar), who’s constantly miserable and complaining despite Abdul’s exhortations for him to see the bright side, accuses him of currying favour. However, unlike most of the other characters portrayed in the film, Abdul succeeds by actually being a nice person, and by being grateful for the honours and kind treatment bestowed on him.
As events escalate, the film becomes more dramatic and there is some poignancy in the later moments of Queen Victoria’s life. But ultimately it’s important to remember that true assurance and hope in the face of death is found in Jesus (c.f. John 11.25-26).
Against expectations
Victoria & Adbul is well shot and well acted, and serves as a good reminder of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.25-37). In the face of all cultural expectations, God comes to rescue us when we can’t save ourselves. Friendship with God – the best kind of friendship there can be – is not about earning favour; it’s about grace, and that leads to relationship that’s not driven by fear or striving, but rather freedom and love.
There is some bad language in the film.
