A Review by Phil Calabro
2006, Columbia Pictures, Dir. Sofia Coppola - Starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Marianne Faithfull, Steve Coogan, Judy Davis, Asia Argento, Rip Torn, Molly Shannon, Rose Byrne, Shirley Henderson, Jean-Christophe Bouvet, Al Weaver, James Lance
Early critical reaction to Sofia Coppola's latest work 'Marie Antoinette' has led to some rather harsh arguments against it. Basing her film upon historian Antonia Fraser's informal biography of the famed - and executed - French queen, the director takes more creative control than her father received during 'Apocalypse Now'. Sure, what audiences predict is a simple-minded historical yarn, rather than the New Age alternative product it actually became. Critics raised eyebrows when 80s band Bow Wow Wow plays over a montage rather than the traditional classical score, but this felt appropriate. Unlike Brian Helgeland's 'Knight's Tale', Coppola is not bridging the time gap for nostalgic measures, but rather visualizing Marie Antoinette as a royal version of Molly Ringwald. People may find the final cut to be a hit or miss, but there is enough style and hinted substance throughout this project for me to be entertained. Since when do historical figures have to be portrayed in such immense detail that it loses its inner touch? I appreciated the director's casting choices, her minimalist yet resplendent camerawork, and its lack of pedantic dialogue that could have made this film stuffier than Marie's wardrobe. This is not your average film, but that's its specialty.
Marie Antoinette (Dunst) is forced away from her home of Austria, only to become the new Dauphine of France. Moving into the elaborate kingdom of Versailles, the young woman is then matched with the naive Louis XVI (Schwartzman), the heir to the throne and avid key maker. Her life begins to change radically, beginning with her morning activities straight to the minute she is led to her bedroom and tucked to sleep. Soon, the wealth and power begins to drain straight to her head, spending extravagant amounts of money on shoes, hair-dos, and enough food to leave any Cheesecake Factory franchise in shame. Versailles virtually becomes a John Hughes inspired high school, allowing every rich jocks and sluts to stroll around looking for job opportunities. Marie has become despised in several social circles, mainly due to her naiveté around enemies Madame du Barry (Argento) and others. Coppola details the future queen's reign till her fateful demise that sparked the French Revolution, ranging from Louis' fear of having intimate relations with Marie to their eventual childbirths.
Forget about accents for once; lose the concept that Marie Antoinette is going to be portrayed as a generic queen character with antique humor and no mutual emotional connection between her and the audience. Kirsten Dunst's Marie is your average girl who has found herself in a larger-than-life scenario. She loses all her friends and belongings to live a life of reputation and wealth, having little understanding of basic government functionings. In this respect, Dunst's role as the lost woman seems to echo a familiar theme in Coppola's works (Dunst in 'Virgin Suicides', Scarlett Johansson in 'Lost in Translation'). The actress seems to just go along with everything, handling her daily affairs like an eternal party. Dunst is a charismatic and charming leading lady, and has fantastic chemistry with the deadpan Jason Schwartzman. Jason's performance leads to the film's central humor, as his persistent fear of "loving" Marie gives some wonderful comic relief when needed. Yet still, the audience cares for Louis XVI, even if he does clash with Marie's wild behavior. Steve Coogan's role as the queen's messenger and Asia Argento as her foremost enemy are solid supporting characters to add to the mixture.
Filmed entirely on location in Versailles, the director has an eye for the palace's distinct Rococo style and appreciates the widescreen shots of landscapes and decadent hallways. And if there hasn't been a more appetizing montage dealing with food, than 'Marie Antoinette' truly takes the cake - no pun intended. All and all, I feel Coppola succeeded in her mission: to transform the legendary figure into an informal character, stuck in a monumental tragedy that is handled like an alternate ending to 'Pretty in Pink'. Gone is the Marie of the history books, but a re-imagining of the woman as the 80s archetypal diva, leaving her extravagant behavior to only be a side note in the story. Hell, I appreciated the quirky soundtrack, as it provides an upbeat change from the hideously boring classical score during ballroom scenes. The director never tries to aggravate elitist critics and audience members with her change in music; she just prefers something people can associate with, sans the immediate hackneyed attribute.
To cut to the chase, 'Marie Antoinette' is a bizarre but enjoyable piece that reworks history into passing entertainment with artistic flair. Some audience members should not expect a meaty story with extensive detail to the queen's life - director Sofia has something in mind already, and she's only going to let them eat cake.
