Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Brooklynn There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

novagirl11 I can't believe I keep accidentally watching movies and tv shows about the same subjects and people without intentionally planning on it! But I love it so much! I watched this one because of its ties to the area we visited so many times while my sister was in school at Marist, but it turns out it's like a prequel to The King's Speech and The Crown! I was actually less interested in the romantic story, more interested in the relationship between FDR and the King!

tavm Just watched this with my mom on Netflix disc. It was quite a fascinating document of a woman named Daisy (Laura Linney) and her relationship with her fifth cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Bill Murray). Besides that, there's also a visit from England's King George VI and his wife Elizabeth to deal with. I'll stop there and just say that this was quite a nice drama with some good humorous moments-mainly involving the king and queen and their concerns about the picnic they have to attend especially about eating American hot dogs. Besides Murray and Linney and the people who portrayed the royal couple, I also liked Olivia Williams as Eleanor Roosevelt. So on that note, I recommend Hyde Park on Hudson.

Philip Hogan (Kurtz9791) In some film portraits of famous people, it can be common for filmmakers to not directly focus on the prominent historical figure, but to have a side character (sometimes fictional) tell the story from their point of view. Sometimes this is done because the celebrity at the film's focus might be so larger than life that it is too difficult to tell their story their way. The side character becomes an extension of the audience, a way for them to get inside the world of the film and let them into the private lives of public people. Think about the 2006 film "The Last King of Scotland" about Idi Amin, only told through the perspective of his fictional Scottish doctor. But in the case of Roger Michell's "Hyde Park on Hudson", it might be because the filmmakers are not sure what story they really want to tell.We start the movie with narration from Daisy, a distant cousin of FDR who begins an implied affair with the leader of the free world in the spring of 1939 while the President stays at his mother's home in upstate New York, the title of the picture. Practically all of the film's problems stem from this character. There are some schools of thought that say narration in a film is the easy way out. I think it can be used quite creatively, but in "Hyde Park on Hudson", it feels too much like it's filling in the expository details that the script couldn't manage.While this relationship might have some historical fact to it, it really doesn't warrant a feature length film. What's worse is that they got a great actress in the form of Laura Linney to play such a thankless and empty role. And it's the main character! There are some humanizing touches that reveal how she is caught in between two worlds, but the filmmakers would have been wiser to focus on another aspect to tell the story.The film never feels like it starts until the King and Queen of England are introduced. They come to visit the President at his home away from the White House to confirm that they are in fact allies right before Europe goes up in flames. Played by Samuel West and Olivia Colman respectively, they add some of the films funniest moments as well as dramatic. History buffs will be disappointed after a little research to learn that this film and what it depicts are mostly a work of fiction, a historical chamber piece that takes great liberties for the sake of entertainment. However, the most enjoyable moments come from watching the King and Queen's fish out of water take on their American hosts.I haven't even mentioned Bill Murray's performance as President Roosevelt, the film's saving grace and perhaps the best thing about it. Because of the confused script, Murray only has about one scene of meaty dialogue and a chance to showcase his acting. It is a late night drink between the two world leaders where they exchange vulnerabilities that is the heart of the film. Murray's witty sensibilities as an actor work well with the laid back depiction of FDR. Whether he is arguing with the women in his life or mentally messing with his Royal guests, he is brilliant.So what we end up with is a missed opportunity. We have a film that doesn't really know what it wants to say, and thus ends up feeling like two different movies, one very good and the other meandering. Still, the whole thing is a harmless (and short) affair, and worth seeing if you are a fan of Bill Murray.

fontgirl2002 Although I am very interested in politics, I thought that perhaps this movie would be boring but it was nothing of the sort. It was more of a love story and didn't get into many political details, although there were some good scenes with FDR and family and the first visit of the Royals, Elizabeth and Bertie. Some comical scenes there as well.The gist of the story was about Roosevelt's fifth or sixth cousin and her intimate relationship with the president, which she managed to keep secret for quite some time. Fascinating about the old boys' network in those days – the way they protected presidents right through and including Kennedy but not up to Clinton as we well know.I'm sorry that the movie didn't delve more into the policy aspect of FDR's presidency, and his infidelity did make him look a bit like a character from Big Love and quite selfish. However, men of great power often have great appetites and more importantly, they are surrounded by fans who are willing to satisfy them.I liked the scenery and the acting was terrific. Laura Linney is good in everything and I tend not to think of Bill Murray as a serious actor because he has been in so many comedies but he was fabulous.