Movie review
October 7, 2022 · 108 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
An amateur historian defies the academic establishment to locate the lost remains of King Richard III in this 2022 biographical comedy-drama. Sally Hawkins stars as Philippa Langley, who becomes obsessed with rehabilitating the king’s reputation and leads the car-park excavation. The narrative includes recurring themes of a female underdog overcoming patronizing treatment from male academics and institutional credit-stealing.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Lost King.
Woke representation / casting
Natural casting fits real events and British setting with no forced diversity.
Woke political dialogue
No explicit activist or political dialogue.
Identity-driven story themes
Narrative centers on female protagonist’s perseverance against dismissive male academics.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Portrays academia as elitist and patronizing to the female amateur with gender undertones.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Production
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Academic lawsuit over misogynistic portrayal and omitted female academics; minor reviews flag girlboss elements; no broad public anti-woke storm.
Creator track record context
Coogan/Pope’s *Philomena* shows pattern of institutional critiques focused on women; Frears has social-issue films.
