The Duke (2020)

My Review

“The Duke” is a British drama-comedy film about a senior citizen who steals Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. He sends ransom notes telling officials he will return the painting if the government invests more money in care for the elderly. Director Roger Mitchell (“Notting Hill” 1999) put together an interesting story that has some comedy, albeit dry British comedy. Parts of the film have gaps of uninteresting dialogue, due to an uneven script by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman.

The cast is headed by Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, as the elderly man and his wife. They deliver their usual understated performances. Co-stars include Fionn Whitehead, Anna Maxwell Martin, Matthew Goode, Jack Bandeira, Aimee Kelly, Charlotte Spencer, and Austin Hayes as a scruffy little boy. “The Duke” had modest box office success for Pathe, Ingenious Media, Neon Films, Screen Yorkshire, and Warner Bros. Entertainment UK.