The Last King

Monarchy has rarely looked less carefree than in this A&E original miniseries about the life and times of Charles II, who returned from exile in the mid-17th century to reign over a volatile, post-Cromwell England. Forced to forgive and then ally himself with his father's killers, the young king (Rufus Sewell, in one of his best performances) also finds himself pushed and pulled by a number of other forces: a vengeful queen mum (Diana Rigg), a duplicitous best friend (Rupert Graves), a manipulative mistress (Helen McCrory), dubious advisers, and a miserable Portuguese wife (Shirley Henderson). Troubles with the plague and a roving eye for beautiful women push Charles' tenure to operatic extremes, yet somehow amidst his many problems, this British king finds time to usher in progressive moves toward a fledgling democracy. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette. Bottom line: a skimpy extras package for a solid bio-pic.] (T. Keogh)