Lurking beneath Hyde Park on Hudson, the latest film to repurpose historical icons for Oscar-bait melodrama, is a screwball comedy trying desperately to break though. Franklin D. Roosevelt, played by Bill Murray, seems chiefly interested in escaping his motorcade so he can score a handjob from his distant cousin (Laura Linney). King George and Queen Elizabeth visit in hopes of securing help for England during WWII, but spend most of their time fretting about the social implications of being served hot dogs at a picnic. The First Lady (Olivia Williams) spends her time debating whether it's impolite to refer to Her Royal Highness as "Elizabeth." Sometimes — as in a very suggestive scene involving the aforementioned hot dogs and a slow application of mustard — it's all played for droll, knowing laughs. But most of the time it feels like an SNL sketch with all the punchlines removed.
›› 94m › Kendall Square
