Monday, 22 January 2007

Marie Antoinette Movie Review

Marie Antoinette
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Marianne Faithfull, Steve Coogan, Clara Braiman, Mélodie Berenfeld, Judy Davis, Rose Byrne and Shirley Henderson.
Director: Sofia Coppola
US Release Date: October 20, 2006

I have to admit, I knew next to nothing about this film before I saw it. I had heard that it wasn't well liked in France and that people were offended by the fact that the characters spoke English (with American accents no less) but that was pretty much it.
Being in a country where a movie ticket is the price of a DVD I wasn't really thinking of seeing this at all on the big screen until I heard that it was directed by Sofia Coppola who made one of my favourite films of all time, Lost in Translation. So much is my love for Sofia Coppola's previous film that this one quickly became the film I wanted to see as soon as possible.

Lucky for me it didn't disappoint. Similar to Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette doesn't rely on big plot points to meet the audience's expectations, instead choosing to use the medium as an opportunity to show people a glimpse into another person's life that we wouldn't otherwise see, let alone understand from general observation.

While the film is obviously based on a real historical figure and events, extra effort has been made to make everyone and thing in the film as relatable as possible through the use of not just English, but natural modern English that would be used by Marie Antoinette if she existed in our time. In addition to this, the music used is a combination of classical music as one would expect from a period film and hit music from the 80s. Both of these techniques offered such an extra level of experience for me while watching this film that I can't help but think that those who criticised the film on these points just didn't get it.

While artistic vision was used in some parts, others such as set and costume design, props and local are authentic to an amazing degree so much so that you forget you're watching a movie set a long time ago and one that exists and is easily accessible to you and me any time we wish.

The cast is simply superb with everyone giving incredibly natural performances with the film achieving something almost impossible, a child actor that doesn't make you want to reach out and slap them. Everyone here shines and I was pleasantly surprised to see two fellow Aussies mixing it up with everyone, Judy Davis and Rose Byrne who personally stole the show for me in every scene she was in ("I love your hair. What's going on there?").

The film is based on the biography, Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser but having not read it, I can't say how accurate the adaption has been. Compared to written history though, factual events, while present seem to serve as a framing device while we explore moments of Marie's life so personal and intimate, only the hardest of viewers won't find themselves smiling during these scenes. The scenes where Marie and her friends watch the sunrise with the camera staying on them long enough to make you forget you're watching a framed shot and later in the movie when she first introduces her daughter to chicken eggs are images that have stayed with me days after credits rolled.

Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette is a spiritual experience that has not just leaped into my top list of movies for the year but also my favourite movies of all time.

It comes out on DVD next month and I've already placed my preorder. It's a classic in every sense of the word.

5 stars. This film should be on everyone's must see list.

Labels: Marie Antoinette, Movie Reviews