Marie Antoinette (2006)

Directed by Sofia Coppola. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Steve Coogan, Rose Byrne, Rip Torn, Danny Huston, Jamie Dornan, Judy Davis, Asia Argento, Molly Shannon, Shirley Henderson, Marianne Faithfull. [PG-13]

Softly-sympathetic and highly-stylized peek into the pampered and isolated world of the Palace of Versailles prior to the French Revolution, and the life of the title charmer (and naif): the youngest daughter of the Austrian empress, who married the Dauphin of France for the sake of an alliance, and would later become Queen of France. More of a trendy modernization than a sloppy anachronism (replete with several sequences set to post-punk/new wave songs), the strategy is to peel away the pomp and powder and cut to the poignant soul of this young woman who found herself at the wrong palatial estate at the wrong moment in history. History books often paint a different picture—and this movie sure as heck isn’t a history lesson—but in spite of a warmly delicate portrayal by Dunst and oodles of 18th-century luxury “eye candy,” the superficiality leaves a sense of vague dissatisfaction, as if we know her no better before watching than after (recontextualizing youthful exuberance to the whirlwind fantasia of spoiled girls who just wanna have fun doesn’t exactly offer much insight, after all). There’s also no prevailing attitude connecting her life to political/historical context, which makes its rushed final act feel like an empty obligation. Maybe it’s just the animal lover speaking, but the film’s only moment of real empathy is her heartbreak at being separated from her little pug, Mops (winner of the Palm Dog Award from Cannes). Dornan’s film debut; Tom Hardy and Mathieu Amalric make brief appearances.

61/100