Marie Antoinette (2006)

This was a gigantic disappointment. I was expecting a period drama focused on the history of the time and the actual events taking place, but what I got was over 2 hours of a bunch of young adults playing around in fancy dresses and very bad wigs. The soundtrack is great, but does not fit in any way. This film turned Marie Antoinette's life into a bad teen drama and left me disgusted.

This movie seems about setting the records straight for one of the most misunderstood historical characters. It starts well with Antoinette's girlhood and her introduction to the French court as the Austrian bride. But then it drags on about her vanities, bitter marriage, her addiction to gambling and lavish lifestyle by completely missing the point that she lived at a time which makes up one of the most interesting historical turning points of the mankind. Only at the end of the movie, the revolution is depicted with an angry mob carrying pitchforks and sickles in a perfunctory manner. Indeed, her last years in the dungeon after her arrest are completely ignored, which could be a much more interesting subject than her superfluously narrated court life.Add to that, the pop soundtrack in the first half sounds too cheesy and turns a potentially historical gem into a chick-flick. The only positive side is the superb acting by Kirsten Dunst, who almost single-handedly saves the movie from a complete train wreck. Ironically, this also emphasizes the fact that she was alone in the leading role with a very obscure portrayal of her husband.

Slow at points, but the sets & costumes are stunning and it's gorgeously shot. I've seen it multiple times and I always find something new love.

I wonder if the low rating on this movie has to do with peoples' expectations. If you were hoping for an accurate, crystal clear historical drama, then you ought to look somewhere else. If you were looking for a well done piece of cinema, then come on in. I'll break my review down into a few different categories. Cinematography: 10/10 this film was beautifully shot. Ms. Coppola was very skillful in her use of colors, angles, clarity, and whatever other magic she invoked to make this movie so visually pleasing. Script: 6/10 The film came off as fairly taciturn. There's nothing wrong with that, but when characters did venture to speak, they didn't say anything particularly profound. Realism: 6/10 I gave it more than a five because I think that the point of this film's seeming disconnect from reality was deliberate and employed for the purpose of expressing the queen's own selfishness and obliviousness. I was bothered by the fact that the film showed little of the struggle that the lower class citizens of France faced -- until I realized that was partially the purpose of the film.Acting: 7/10 I think all the supporting characters did very well. Kirsten Dunst was a good Marie Antoinette, although some of her speaking scenes were less convincing :| I think I'll come out and say it, I don't think she's very good at speaking parts. She is lovely and uses facial expressions to tell her story, but as far as verbal execution, there is much to be desired. Sorry! Jason Schwartzman did an excellent job. I loved his and Dunst's scenes together. This film had many familiar faces and I really enjoyed their performances. Music: 8/10 I haven't checked other reviews, but i imagine that there were some boo-hooers that disliked the director's choice to include rock music. I liked it because for the modern day viewer, rock signifies rebellion, fun, youth and carelessness. WHICH PERSONIFIES MARIE ANTOINETTE. Also, there's a violin piece that's comically used several times which I appreciated. Summary: I think this film is excellent for anyone like myself who enjoys beauty. I would have liked a little more introspection by Marie Antoinette, but I think that the director/writers were trying to keep the film somewhat unbiased by not imposing too much of their own interpretations on the viewer. While not a perfect film, it is a lovely one.