The story of Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams is a fascinating one, and is of a good deal of importance and relevance now. 'A United Kingdom', which had such potential from the get go with the talent involved, doesn't disappoint and tells this story beautifully.

Admittedly, this kind of story has a fair few potential traps with the themes displayed, being very difficult to get the right tonal balance and to get it completely right. 'A United Kingdom' could easily have been preachy and over-sentimental with any messaging laid on too thick, any feel-good-factors coming over as corny, characters being one-dimensional and too black and white and the sentimentality being too hard to stomach. Luckily, almost all of those traps are avoided, making 'A United Kingdom a truly absorbing and moving film.

Do agree completely with all but one of the positive reviews, and can understand totally why some may not be as enamoured with it. Usually don't comment on previous reviews, as strictly it's not really supposed to be done here but is frequently done by many, but I too take issue with the content and tone of the top rated review, which is not a review and more a quite incoherent condemnation towards those who rate it low, with ridiculous conspiracy theories that do completely against what 'A United Kingdom' is really about. The number of 1 star ratings in a short space of time may raise eyebrows and can easily be questioned, even if the film didn't do much for me because the production values, directing, storytelling and acting are so well done and what it set out to do is to be admired it would not get less than a 4 or 5. This is all personal opinion of course, and do apologise for the irrelevance.

'A United Kingdom' is not perfect. Some of the dialogue at the beginning is too in your face and forced and the acting of the extras is a little dodgy agreed, can definitely see why anybody may be put off from continuing. Can also understand any criticisms of the supporting characters (the two lead characters are very compelling and beautifully written characters) being one-dimensional and too neatly black and white, the villains especially.

However, 'A United Kingdom' does look absolutely gorgeous, the period detail evocative, the scenery a feast for the eyes from the darker and more drab London location to the sweeping and colourful Botswana ones. Amma Asante directs remarkably and with assurance. Patrick Doyle provides another winner of a music score, coming from someone who has liked a lot of what he's done, full of beauty and emotional power in an understated way.

While not all the script works, much of it is intelligent and thought-provoking, never taking on too much of a heavy-handed tone while making its point clearly, having much to say about the conflicts and explores and balances them with skill and the over-sentimentality never obviously creeps in. The story is beautifully and absorbingly told, told with sensitivity, tension dealt with subtlety but also hard-hitting power and poignant emotion. Seretse and Ruth's love is evident throughout, David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike's chemistry resonating believably and, even when apart in large stretches of the film, disconnect never creeps in despite the potential to.

Great performances all round, apart from reservations about the extras. Oyelowo plays Seretse with towering dignity and passionate sensitivity, his speeches very moving in a gut-wrenching and powerful sense. Pike, fresh from her exceptional career-best performance in the brilliant 'Gone Girl', gives one of her best performances and certainly more than just eye-candy (being one of the most naturally gorgeous actresses today),playing Ruth with calmness, sensitivity and commanding steel, Ruth's progressive attitude to race admirably portrayed and got under the skin well.

Jack Davenport makes for a slimy diplomat, and Tom Felton (who could easily have been out of place, was admittedly expecting him to be) is surprisingly effective and a long way from lightweight. Anastasia Hille and Nicholas Lyndhurst portray Ruth's parents' disapproval very well, Arnold Oceng is very good and there is a quite powerful scene with Pike and the very emotive actress who portrays the mother-in-law.

Not without its issues, but in summary 'A United Kingdom' is a very good film, telling a fascinating and important true story beautifully. 8/10 Bethany Cox

The post war Labour and Conservative governments do not come out well from this movie. Both Attlee and Churchill are regarded as the greatest Prime Ministers in the 20th century. A United Kingdom portrays them as mendacious racists.

Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo) is studying law in London in 1948. He falls in love and marries Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike.)

Ruth's parents disapprove of the marriage. However she is surprised that he is the heir to the throne of Bechuanaland, a province in southern Africa now known as Botswana.

When Ruth visits Bechuanaland, Khama's uncle is against the marriage and it puts him into potential conflict with his own people.

With neighbouring South Africa looking to instigate Apartheid, they object to the interracial marriage. The British Government under Attlee wish to placate the South African regime and look to exile Khama by offering him a post in Jamaica.

As the territory also has valuable diamonds, it would be useful for Bechuanaland to become a crown colony so the diamonds belong to the British government.

The drama is solid but apart from the two central characters, almost everyone else is rather shallow and two dimensional. I can understand showing Churchill as the dismal racist he was but here it is just about everyone. A United Kingdom is a well intentioned but dry film.

I lived in Botswana for twenty-five odd years and enjoyed every single moment of it, almost certainly due in large measure to Seretse's enlightened politics and the genuine and natural warmth of the Botswana people. I knew both main characters quite well. Seretse was a very approachable man, even as president, and it was a pleasure to spend some time in his company. He was a man well loved by everyone, black and white. In fact, in Botswana one scarcely thought in those terms. As a politician he had huge charisma and was a great orator. He was also a born leader. I remember well being told by insiders that government Ministers who were in trouble for minor abuse of office or the like, would tremble in fear outside his office when they were to be 'carpeted'.

Ruth was an extraordinarily capable woman and even in her later years had more stamina than almost anyone I have known. She was at work in her office in Gaborone from early morning to the end of the day, patron of the Red Cross, Botswana Council of Women etc etc. Contrary, however, to one reviewer's criticism, Rosalind Pike's portrayal was quite accurate. She was not a strident campaigner but a very effective mover who enjoyed a social life and had many friends. In her widowhood she received constant visits from senior members of the tribe and government and was widely loved and respected by her people. She was most certainly "Mohumagadi" - Mother of the Nation.

This film portrays their personalities pretty accurately and the characterisation of the actors is extraordinarily true to life. Both David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike were absolutely convincing. The quality of the acting very quickly overcame my initial niggling concern that the physical likenesses were not quite there. The photography of Botswana was outstanding and the familiar views of Serowe from the Palapye 'road' and the scenes in the kgotla were quite emotional for me; I unexpectedly found I had a lump in my throat.

I can understand that, for others, the film may not have the immediacy it has for me, perhaps, but previous criticisms of 'cold' and 'unemotional' - No! Leaving aside my personal interest, it deserved to be the opener for the London Film Festival. Maybe not a total "blockbuster" but an unusual and great film nonetheless. Very close to fact.