English Civil War events were not very familiar to me, and there are not too many films about it (I remember seeing panoramic Cromwell (1970) some decades ago). The times were hectic, ideas were exuberant, but real life and people's absorption of them was rather shabby. To Kill a King focuses on the relationship between MP / Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell and Sir/General Thomas Fairfax in the post-war period from 1648 until the former's death, in 1658.
Although Tim Roth is a fine actor and Dougray Scott seems good actor as well, I felt no profound contradiction or complexity between them; well, their approaches and motives were reasoned, but their depiction was somewhat perfunctory, via uneven course of events, mostly taking place indoors (many exterior or nature scenes provide more faithfulness). Rupert Everett as King Charles I was too reserved as well, female characters and performance were quite uninviting. I felt myself constantly watching a historical half-documentary that could have been helpful before respective exam :) Thus, more thank okay film, but no conceptional work for me... Of I have been spoiled by powerful war and costume dramas...
Although Tim Roth is a fine actor and Dougray Scott seems good actor as well, I felt no profound contradiction or complexity between them; well, their approaches and motives were reasoned, but their depiction was somewhat perfunctory, via uneven course of events, mostly taking place indoors (many exterior or nature scenes provide more faithfulness). Rupert Everett as King Charles I was too reserved as well, female characters and performance were quite uninviting. I felt myself constantly watching a historical half-documentary that could have been helpful before respective exam :) Thus, more thank okay film, but no conceptional work for me... Of I have been spoiled by powerful war and costume dramas...