Most of the time, when you think of Queen Victoria, you don't think "sweet little romance," but that's pretty much what this movie is. Well, maybe you think that I but I usually don't.

Anyway, Emily Blunt is very good in the title role - her Victoria is quite a relatable young woman who is struggling with an overbearing mother and feeling manipulated from all sides as she tries to be the best possible queen and maintain her own independence. And ultimately, The Young Victoria is a character study of the young queen, and peripherally her the charming and soft-spoken hubby Albert, played by Rupert Friend. They touch on the politics of Victoria's ascension to the throne and some of the turbulence afterward, but it's really not explained very well. I am still a bit fuzzy on why the identities of her ladies in waiting mattered so much, but the details of the politics aren't what's important to the movie. What's important to this movie is how Victoria feels about it and how she deals with it. It's not a political thriller - the suspense is kind of dampened when you know how it's all going to turn out, after all.

That said, I really enjoyed this movie. The (Oscar Winning) costumes and sets were simply beautiful, and the characters - particularly Victoria and Albert - felt real and relatable. The supporting cast was very good as well. Mark Strong is always the villain; Miranda Richard adds depth to what could be a very flat role as Victoria's mother; Paul Bettany is charming as ever; and Jim Broadbent is delightful as the slightly mad King William.

If you are looking for a feel-good romantic movie (there was a lot of "awwwww"ing involved ) that's intelligent and not as insipidly clichéd and dull as the usual romantic comedy, I strongly suggest you check out The Young Victoria.