The Lost King

This enjoyably quirky drama from Stephen Frears recounts how the bones of the king made famous for being an evil hunchback by Shakespeare were discovered beneath a Leicester car park.

Like so many British lightly comic films before, including the recent The Duke and The Phantom Of The Open, its story rests on one of those British never-say-die eccentrics that we love so much coming up against some form of establishment.

This time out it's Sally Hawkins' Philippa Langley, an amateur historian with chronic fatigue syndrome, who became dogged in her pursuit of the truth about Richard. Hawkins, who has a knack for portraying vulnerable but determined characters (see also The Shape Of Water), is perfectly cast as Langley as she finds herself up against, not just the weight of history but a cadre of men who at first won't believe her and then become intent on stealing all the glory.

As she faces them down, she takes solace from the king himself (Harry Lloyd), who in a magic realist touch appears to her, mostly in silent support. This device works surprisingly well within the framework of the film since writers Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope treat it lightly, mostly playing Richard's appearances for laughs rather than suggesting that Langley has a screw loose. Coogan has also written himself a peach of a role as Langley's almost saintly husband John, fully supportive of her even though they're no longer a couple.

Still it seems ironic that while the film is at pains to show that people shouldn't be reduced to a single idea - Richard's hunch, Langley's own illness - it doesn't hold back in its own clear portrayals of who it believes are the villains of the piece. The archeologists involved have spoken out about their depiction, saying they were a lot more supportive than they are being given credit for. Whatever the truth of the matter, as a story it works on its own terms, as we increasingly root for Langley in the face of an opposition that changes tack as soon as it looks as though she might actually be getting somewhere with her search.

You could argue it's a bit broad but then charming crowdpleasers often are.