The Lost King

Almost ten years since the moving Philomena, Stephen Frears, Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope reunite for another hunt for a missing person. This time around, an elderly woman seeking to be reunited with her forcibly adopted-out son is replaced with an amateur historian who is hell-bent on finding the long lost remains of King Richard III after apparitions of him begin to follow her.

Sally Hawkins plays Philippa Langley, a researcher and history buff who after taking her son to a local adaptation of King Richard III, begins to obsess over the whereabouts of the titular royal’s 700 year old remains. Small in stature, quiet in tone and also living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E), Philippa is easily dismissed by the largely male dominated departments she has to battle to find and exhume his skeleton and give him the proper burial he deserves.

This is not the heavy or highly emotional film it could have been in different hands. The exhuming of King Richard’s remains was international news back in 2012. And while it may be a community-bonding story many remember, the emotional punch is lacking in the final act of The Lost King. While it, intentionally or not, falls short in the pulling of the heartstrings, Coogan and Pope’s screenplay offers some quieter and softer moments between Philippa and her ex-husband John (played by Coogan). There is also some delightful comedy provided by Harry Lloyd, who plays the King Richard … ghost? Apparition? Stalker? Who knows. His silent but warm expressions make him much more endearing and likeable than Lloyd’s previous royal role in Game of Thrones. If you know, you know.

All in all, The Lost King is not trying to be anything other than what it is. A quiet film with quiet moments and no real grandeur or outrageously uplifting finale scenes with crowds lining the streets to cheer in uproar when the u̶n̶expected happens. Even Philippa’s dynamic with her ex-husband is surprisingly neutral and void of tension. The dramatics are between the lines as she faces an uphill battle of sexism, misogyny and a whole lot of she cray by the authorities who have the power to dig or not to dig. Hawkins is fantastic as always, if not a little exaggerated in her mousey demeanour. As Philippa starts to find her voice, Hawkins shines a little brighter too. It is her performance, along with Coogan and Pope’s screenplay that keep this tale of the underdog just above ground. If you’re a history nut or just in need of an easy watch, The Lost King is a safe bet.

The Lost King
In cinemas December 26
View trailer here