Reviewed by Janina Conboye
Stars Kirsten Dunst, Steve Coogan, Judy Davis, Marianne Faithful,
Jason Schwartzman, Rose Byrne, Rip Torn, Molly Shannon
Based on the book Marie Antoinette: The Journey, by Antonia Fraser
Produced by Ross Katz and Sofia Coppola
Certification US PG-13 | UK 12A | Australia PG
Runtime 123 minutes
Written & directed by Sophia Coppola
Marie Antoinette was born an Archduchess of Austria, married at the age of 15 to Louis XVI of France, and was executed for treason on October 16, 1793. And despite its tendency to be a little slow, this new take on the life of the French Queen is refreshing. It's colourful, lavish and disgracefully indulgent — a perfect example of the royal family almost spending France into ruin. Sophia Coppola's film tends to concentrate primarily on the Queen's earlier years of marriage to the Dauphin (French heir to the throne) and the relentless boredom of her life, which led to her supposed limitless spending. Marie's life is depicted as a stream of constant lavish parties, gambling, shopping and drinking and so we lose out on other aspects of the Queen's character and her life. Indeed, the French public saw her as a clueless spendthrift - and yes she was clueless, but through no fault of her own. The Queen had no idea what went on outside the palace walls. She was not allowed to dress herself and led a very monotonous life.
It is thought that as she got older, Marie Antoinette in fact became less extravagant, but the film centres on spending habits that historians believe are in fact exaggerated. The Queen was devoted to her four children and she was devastated by the deaths of her oldest son, the Dauphin and her youngest daughter, Sophie Beatrix. The film is so caught up in extravagance that it fails to really drive this devotion and portray the effect the children's deaths had on the family. Kirsten Dunst, with an excellent supporting cast, gives a strong performance as both a young Queen of 19 and an older, more mature royal who was brave enough to bow to the mob that eventually stormed Versailles. To a certain extent the script doesn't allow her to bring out the best of Marie Antoinette, but Dunst gives the Queen an element of tenderness and sensitivity. The soundtrack shies away from the typical orchestral music that may have been expected. It opts for a more funky, punk sound, which includes Bow Wow Wow, The Cure and New Order. This works with the way the film is presented and fits well with the bold, vivid colours used particularly in the food and costumes throughout. Overall it's not perfect, but still worth a watch.