Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
As the only legitimate heir of England's King William, teenage Victoria gets caught up in the political machinations of her own family. Victoria's mother wants her to sign a regency order, while her Belgian uncle schemes to arrange a marriage between the future monarch and Prince Albert, the man who will become the love of her life.
The Young Victoria is elevated chiefly by Emily Blunt's commanding central performance and sumptuous period cinematography that lavishly recreates Victorian court life. The acting across the board is strong, with Rupert Friend bringing quiet dignity to Albert. Cinematography and costume design are genuinely exceptional, earning top marks. The plot, however, follows familiar biopic conventions — court intrigue, romantic blossoming, power struggles — without much subversion or surprise. Novelty suffers as the royal romance biopic is a well-worn genre and this film, while handsomely executed, doesn't reinvent it. The ending is competent and emotionally satisfying but fairly predictable given the historical record.