A charming true-life comedy about a working-class man who steals a Goya portrait from London’s National Gallery, The Duke turns an unlikely art heist into a sweet and entertaining story, with a wonderfully eccentric performance by Jim Broadbent and a terrific supporting cast.
Earlier this year, I watched The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry and thought it was very cute. It was based on a true story about an ordinary man who’d lived an ordinary life, but received a letter from a dying friend and decided to walk hundreds of miles to her, believing she might live longer if he kept walking. I remember thinking, Jim Broadbent was the perfect actor to play this everyman. He is lovable and gentle, but he can get feisty too. And in this movie, he did it again.
The Duke is set in 1961 London, where Kempton Bunton, a married father of two grown sons, protests the television licensing fee pensioners are supposed to pay to receive television. He has just been released from jail for not paying the fee, and although he can afford it, he feels it is not right. The movie begins with Bunton in court making his plea of not guilty for having stolen Goya’s Portrait Of The Duke Of Wellington, and the two stories eventually merge to show you how these two positions came to exist.
This is a lighthearted movie that doesn’t break the mold, but is an amusing watch. It’s cute, based on a real-life event, and an underdog story. What’s not to like?
Jim Broadbent stars as Kempton Bunton, a scrappy, good-natured man who stands up for the little guy and constantly finds himself in trouble or out of a job. His wife (played by an understated Helen Mirren) tends to his every need, but appears to be at her wits’ end. All she wants is for him to keep a job and live a quiet, stable life. But that’s not Kempton.
When Matthew Goode’s barrister entered the movie, I felt an overall lift in energy. He’s such a captivating actor, and in this role, he’s also very smooth and polished. You’re drawn to him, and he truly stands out from the rest of the supporting cast.
I do wish that they’d spent a little more time on the theft since that is what I assumed was the meat of the story, but overall, The Duke is a cozy little folk-hero tale about the little guy standing up to the big guy. It is somewhat forgettable because we’ve seen so much like this before, but if you’re looking for an endearing little watch, this fits the bill.
Runtime: 95 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3/5 Stars
Available: Free on Hulu and Disney+, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
Earlier this year, I watched The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry and thought it was very cute. It was based on a true story about an ordinary man who’d lived an ordinary life, but received a letter from a dying friend and decided to walk hundreds of miles to her, believing she might live longer if he kept walking. I remember thinking, Jim Broadbent was the perfect actor to play this everyman. He is lovable and gentle, but he can get feisty too. And in this movie, he did it again.
