One of the perks of living in a college town is that, occasionally, film distributors send their newest critical punching bag in the hopes of building a solid following from the ground up. Hence the “special screening” of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, which recieved a public thrashing at Cannes. With “coupons” available through radio stations and a small table on campus (one which I conveniently passed day after day, oblivious to the massive amounts of glitzy posters, until about 6PM yesterday), it seemed like a great way to commence my four-day weekend.
While the film begins promisingly enough, with our heroine the innocent and seemingly unwilling participant in an arranged marriage—one meant to calm tensions between France and Austria—Marie Antoinette suffers from the titular character’s own life. We sympathize with her as she becomes the object of ridicule, especially as she reluctantly goes without child, but as her extravagance grows our empathy fades. The last hour, in which she basks hedonistically in sex, drugs, and cake, doesn’t hold our attention like the first hour does. What’s so interesting about watching spoiled people be miserable? Why should I care when the French population arrives at her doorstep, torches and pitchforks in hand? Despite the incredible costumes and sets, the expert staging and cinematography, and some great comedic relief from Shirley Henderson and Molly Shannon as two crotchety aunts (they almost steal the movie from Kirsten Dunst, which is probably why they’re banished halfway through), Marie Antoinette falls flat. Beautifully, disappointingly flat.
by Adam Balz | Source: 35MM Theatrical Print
20 Oct 2006 1:18 AM | Submit Comment