Marie Antoinette Review
by Clint Morris
“Letting everyone down would be my greatest unhappiness” – Marie Antoinette (channelling Sofia Coppola). Its
rather fitting that Gang of Four’s song “Natural’s Not In it” open’s
Sofia Coppola’s new movie because, well, it’s as unnatural as sculling
a 4-litre bottle of morphine mid-way through an uncomplicated pregnancy. One
can’t help but think that Sofia’s filmmaking motivation is to go
against the grain, and in turn, do whatever her famous filmmaking Pop –
Francis Ford Coppola, of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now – wouldn’t. Though her previous efforts, The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation
have been remarkable affairs, they’ve also been much more radical
efforts – a flaming double-salted margarita to his tall glass of wine,
if you will. And with Marie Antoinette,
she again dispels any rumours that Daddy’s working second-unit with a
movie that’s as wild as a mountain cat, and as original as the Macarena. Like watching The Biography Channel whilst slipping a cut of ecstasy, Marie Antoinette
is a little bit period piece, part commercial for an impending CD
soundtrack and the feeling of being on a whacked-out trip. It’s one of
the most entertaining and hippest old-style yarns since Bazz Luhrmann
robbed our tongues with Romeo & Juliet (1996). This
is the true (well, true but tweaked) story of troubled teenage royal,
Austrian Marie Antoinette (Kirsten Dunst), who at the age of 14 found
herself betrothed to King Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman). From
essentially the moment she stepped into her frigid new husband’s bed,
everyone at Versailles, the lavish royal court near Paris, looked down
upon Marie and his or her dislike escalated into a warped
representation of who she really was. (And, as history reminds us, they
had her head for it). If a well-detailed and exhaustive account
of Marie Antoinette is what you’re after – don’t look here. Coppola
merely skims the Queen’s eventful life (including such eventful moments
as the infamous ‘Affair of the Necklace’ incident), instead zoning in
more so on the vibrant personality that she was, rather than the
prolific incidents that ultimately shaped her. In some respects, its as
if Coppola doesn’t know how to write great big chunky lines of dialogue
or better still, isn’t quite sure yet how to abridge one’s life into
celluloid, so just avoids the difficult aspects of filmmaking all
together. On the other hand, Coppola again proves what a stunning
visual eye she has – and the welcome audacity to do something
different. The film is an absolute cavalcade of colours and craziness,
sometimes resembling what John Hughes might’ve done if he had gotten
his hands on Shakespeare. The way she uses modern-day music – its used
sparingly, so don’t panic purists! - to add bounce to the scenes is
truly inspired. All in all, she paints a beautiful picture. As evidenced by Suicides and Translation,
Coppola also knows how to cast a film. Here she’s rounded up a wild
group that features some rather astonishing and brave choices
(including comedienne, Molly Shannon, who plays it rather straight; as
well as Steve Coogan, likewise not playing it for laughs for a change)
but also some commanding picks, too. Though she never has to do
anything too emotionally draining (in another movie, she would’ve –
because Antoinette’s life only went from worse to unimaginable), the
beautiful Kirsten Dunst immerses herself in the role of the wild royal
– and gives a relatively credible and likeable performance throughout.
Despite the script’s flaws, its lead takes what she’s been given and
goes for it – resulting in one of the Dunst’s best performances of her
career; as well as one of the most memorable. No less grand are Jason
Schwartzman as the long-suffering and uncommunicative dauphin; the
always-underrated Rip Torn as King Louis XV; and briefly, rising
newcomer Danny Huston as Antoinette’s regal, but caring brother. You
wouldn’t be able to answer a pop quiz on her life having seen the film,
but that doesn’t mean you won’t have a blast watching it. 3.5 out
of 5 Marie Antoinette
Australian
release: 26th December,
2006
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Asia Argento, Rip Torn, Molly Shannon
Director: Sofia Coppola
Website: Click
here.
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