GrimPrecise I'll tell you why so serious

Forumrxes Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Janis One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

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.

namashi_1 Based on Franklin D. Roosevelt & Margaret "Daisy" Suckley's secret affair with a political touch, 'Hyde Park on Hudson' is interesting, but gets confused mid-way on what it wants to be. That being, a romantic-dramedy or a throwback on politics. Its the Writing that is a letdown, but the performances are of high regard here!'Hyde Park on Hudson' Synopsis: The story of the love affair between FDR and his distant cousin Margaret "Daisy" Suckley, centered around the weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of the United Kingdom visited upstate New York.'Hyde Park on Hudson' begins well & watching the former President behind the curtains having an affair with a women caught under the depression, holds your attention. But, the narrative falls apart, when the sub-plot involving King George VI & his wife, takes charge. This addition to the story doesn't work & one loses interest. The love-story, as it is, had potential to continue & also end a bit more strongly. Sadly, that doesn't happen here!Richard Nelson's Screenplay provides some fine moments, but it isn't wholesome. As I wrote earlier, the sub-plot fails. The Writing needed to be more about the love-story. Roger Michell's Direction is classy. Lol Crawley's Cinematography is stunning & captures each moment, with flourish. Art & Costume Design are excellent. Editing is okay.Performance-Wise: Bill Murray as Franklin D. Roosevelt, is a joy to watch. He is exceptionally fine in his portrayal of the late president, giving us a man, who eventually, had his own faults & pluses. Laura Linney as Margaret "Daisy" Suckley, is wonderfully restrained. Linney & Murray share a quiet, effective chemistry on-screen, that speaks in volumes. Samuel West as King George VI, is earnest. Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth, leaves a mark. Olivia Williams as Eleanor Roosevelt, is first-rate.On the whole, 'Hyde Park on Hudson' never reaches its potential, but for fine acting alone, its worth a watch.

viewsonfilm.com I've always been a big fan of Bill Murray ever since I was a kid. I've watched a majority of his movies over and over. One thing you can always take from his work is that no matter how good or bad it is, he always seems to give a solid performance. The dude is pretty decent and has never really been accused wrecking a movie. Although I was a little turned off when he went dramatic right after Ghostbusters (1984) (he did a flick called The Razor's Edge which was a huge flop), I now realize that it seems commonplace for him to do more than just comedy. Every once in a while he seems to hold back the funny to show that he can act in any film genre. Here we have Murray playing Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Roger Mitchell directed Hyde Park on Hudson. Notice I haven't mentioned the film up until now. That's because there is not a whole lot to talk about. It's slow, it's dull, it's unnecessary, and it should only be viewed as a reason to see Murray flex his acting muscle. Like I said a few sentences ago, you can always trust this guy to give a good performance in an ocean of bad film making. With Hyde Park on Hudson we have exhibits A, B, and possibly C.It's about the last year of the 1930's with President Franklin D. Roosevelt enjoying some time at his country estate in Hyde Park. While there, he gets a visit from the king and queen of England (Samuel West as King George VI and Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth) in hopes that the American people will see through him, the U.S.support for the United Kingdom. This all takes place as World War II is approaching. On the side, Roosevelt takes time to enjoy the ladies in Hyde Park as evident by his affection for a fifth cousin and would be mistress in Margaret Suckley (played solidly by Laura Linney). Their relationship spans much of the proceedings and it becomes the main essence of the plot. In my mind it would've help the film more if other aspects were examined, you know the important stuff (were talking war here people).But nevertheless, in a vehicle yearning to be a movie, you have just the two plot points mentioned via the last paragraph. These are sadly the only ones to work with. Trust me this is not very compelling drama. But hey, try telling that to the musical score (I made this point earlier in my review of Somewhere In Time). No matter what the scene, the outcome, or whatever, there is a compelling synergy of all kinds of instruments playing at the same time. This music is written to try to pump up the dramatic momentum in many a scene. I don't know about you, but when I see a character eating a hot dog or a sequence with two of the characters driving down a dirt road while making googly eyes at each other, that doesn't really evoke a symphony in my book. Even with the beautiful and haunting music, this movie doesn't established a point and even worse, doesn't try to make one.In the end, Hyde Park on Hudson suffers from being 94 boring minutes coupled with a few shots of beautiful scenery courtesy of London, England (masquerading as Hyde Park, New York). It also possesses what I think is a meaningful or I should I say meaningless, sense of time and place. The real reason to view this thing is the Murray screen performance. It is the true high point. Being calculated, meticulous, and assured, I would put it up there with his best work. The movie however, is the equivalent of watching paint dry. And I'm talking really, really wet paint.

SnoopyStyle It's 1939 at a pivotal time of WWII. England is alone in the world confronting Hitler. They desperately need help from America, and the Royals arrive for a charm offensive. On their first stop, they visit FDR at his summer retreat in upstate NY.Bill Murray is FDR, Laura Linney is cousin Daisy, and the Royals are played by Samuel West and Olivia Colman. There is little tension in the main storyline of FDR and his affair. And there's really no mystery. If this was only about them, this would be a horribly boring movie.The most compelling part of the story is the Royal visit. They're funny but you can also feel the intense drama playing out. The desperation and the culture clash leads to some of the best moments of this movie. I wish that they had concentrated more on that instead. A presidential affair is just so much less compelling.