A United Kingdom appears more like a documentary than a film. For a story that was capable of having so much depth it was really a series of events thrown together to resemble a film. It never really flies. We do not see a great love story nor do we see a great story. A history channel short documentary could have covered these events better. The cast despite being good fails to carry this film. Historical films need to be made with a certain flair and style to captivate the viewer. Examples of where this has fallen short have been Lincoln or Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom where the director just showed us events with effects rather than telling us a story or taking us on a journey. 6/10

In post-war London, Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike) falls for law student Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo). She's surprised to be told that he's the heir to the throne of Bechuanaland. It's a poor sparsely populated country in southern Africa. Despite all the forces against them, they decide to get married. Her parents disown her. South Africa and other surrounding countries are imposing Apartheid and oppose their interracial marriage. The British Government first under Labour and then Churchill need South Africa. There is general racism throughout. There is segregation even in Seretse's own country. Government official Sir Alistair Canning (Jack Davenport) and commissioner Rufus Lancaster (Tom Felton) aim to impose British rule over the local population. Seretse is even opposed by his uncle Tshekedi Khama and sister Naledi Khama who sees Ruth as an outsider. The couple puts the idea of love conquers all to the test.This is a standard bio. I don't know much about this history and it's great to see it on the screen. It's also very fitting in the world today. I am also reminded of the upcoming Royal wedding in one of the scenes. It's easy but it's fitting. The central love story also works because the two actors are so sincere. There is nothing flashy about them or this movie. It's well told and suddenly relevant in the modern world.

I never knew about this story, and enjoyed this movie immensely. Anyone that gives this a bad review did not watch the same movie that I did. It's a heartwarming story of love, devotion and racism in a turbulent time in the world. We owe much to the historical people of the past.

The year in 1947. With the end of World War II, the British Empire is now facing extinction. Times are changing with new states in the world emerging in a renewed spirit of nationalism. The subject of this story is the emergence of the Republic of Botswana out of the former monarchy of Bechuanaland which was a longstanding protectorate of the British Empire.The microcosm of this film is the remarkable love story of Prince Seretse Khama, who is studying law in England and about to succeed to the throne of his native Bechuanaland. But something happens along the way: he falls in love with a white British office girl named Ruth Williams. Against every social norm in both nations, the couple forge ahead with their relationship by getting married! Reviled in the press as "The African Queen," Ruth stoically stands by Seretse. Slowly, the people of Bechuanaland recognize her courage and decency and come to accept her, welcoming her with the chant of "Pula" (rain). In the meantime, the astute politician Seretse stays one step ahead of the British government to lobby on behalf of his nation.In the repellent paternalistic politics of the fading British empire, the one figure who comes up as duplicitous and hypocritical is Winston Churchill. After promising to allow Seretse to reclaim the crown during his postwar run for the Prime Minister, Churchill reneges on his promise once elected. It is at this time that Seretse learns of the discovery of diamonds in his nation and uses the press to advance his nationalistic goals against the recidivist British authorities. This nefarious activity is documented in the Harrington Report that indicates the British collaboration with South Africa to repress nationalist spirit in Bechuanaland.The film portrays this story with great dignity, especially with actors David Oyelowo as Seretse and Rosamund Pike as Ruth. The photography is stellar in the African scenes, and the screenplay is crisp and well-paced. One of the films motifs is Seretse's phrase, "No man is free who is not master of himself." The film brilliantly extrapolates from that personal dictum to the larger thematic concern of the emergence of the new nation of Botswana that eventually occurred in 1966. The first duly elected president was Seretse Khama himself, who oversaw the emergence of his new nation and was later called by Nelson Mandela "a shining beacon of light and inspiration" for the world.Early in the film, the snobbish, racist British minister sarcastically asks Seretse, "May I offer you a sherry?" By the close of the film, Sertese returns the compliment to another British official when it is clear that the sun is about to set on the British empire.