"I am the evidence"
While slavery was still prevalent in Britain, Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) was put into the care of the Lord Chief Justice (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson). As a mixed-race child, she was raised by the family and their other niece, Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon). As an adult, Dido is ridiculed by many due to her ethnicity. Being sneered at for finding love, Dido secretly works to try and get the Justice to sway in favor of the abolitionists on the issue of slavery.
The production design here is fabulous. The views of Great Britain, the houses, art, and setpieces are designed with expertise, grandeur, and beauty. Seeing these mansions is a visual treat for the eyes, and the old-style look of colonial England is also nice. The costume design is very elaborate, combining the looks of Downton Abbey with some colonial apparel and Disney-esque style. The color palette on display for the costumes was great.
The acting is the movie's biggest strength. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is fabulous, bringing energy, sophistication, and emotion to Belle. She may just be an early Oscar contender for Best Actress next year. Other stand-outs included a strict yet well-intentioned Tom Wilkinson, a warm but stern Emily Watson, and the all-around actor Sam Reid. Rachel Portman adds a good music score to the mix. The screenplay by Misan Sagay is well-written, with the right levels of sophistication, richness, and interesting moments.
On the downside, despite being well-made, Belle can sometimes be slightly boring. A few scenes are kinda slow, and don't really move the story along so well. Thankfully the suspense heats up as we get into the slavery ruling. Also, with the slow scenes in mind, despite its best efforts to separate itself from other colonial pieces, the overall production can sometimes feel like an overlong PBS special in places.
Belle wasn't originally on my must-see list. But on a rainy day, and hearing it was still playing after two months in a local theater, I decided to give it a shot. And what I saw was just about what I was expecting.
That's because, the overall story (based on apparent true events), is very interesting. Before slavery was outlawed by William Wilberforce, there was this. There's a lot to like about this movie besides the story though. It carries a lot of natural visual splendor. It is well-acted and well-directed. And, there's enough emotional undertones here to make you feel for the characters, even when you don't expect to.
But is this an Oscar-worthy film? In some aspects, yes. Gugu Mbatha-Raw should be a Best Actress contender, and this film would definitely fit in the Production Design and Costume Design territories. But, in some aspects, no. Some elements found here don't quite separate themselves enough from past historical dramas that some may consider Belle to be more like a 90-minute version of Downton Abbey.
But that isn't to say there's nothing wrong with not changing the formula either. For everything seen here, Belle is, overall, a well-done, very good film. (even if it may not stand out among several other pics set in its' time period).
Score: 8.0/10
Content Problems Families Should Be Aware Of
Language: Lone uses of "d---" and "h---" join several interjections of "good l--d".
Adult Content: Females don outfits that are form-fitting and low-cut. A few kisses. Someone rudely comments on Belle being someone he might "sample from the fields of the West Indies". Belle is briefly grabbed in a manner that hints at a character threatening sexual assault (below screen). Some art and statues seen in the Mansfield mansion are either provocative or nude (in this case, bare-breasted women).
Violence: Slavery is talked about. I already mentioned someone threatening Belle in an assault-hinting way.
Alcohol/Drugs: Wine is served.
Other: Racial mistreatment (though this is rebuked).
