The costumes worn by the female characters are exquisite just like the huge ballroom locations. The film is all about Marie Antoinette and shows this girl who finds herself in the middle of all this luxury. It makes you question at times why Coppola has chosen to tell Marie Antoinette's story when it feels like this story could be of any girl of the same age. Coppola could have chosen to tell a story of fiction when the film itself doesn't really seem to take history all too seriously. It's nice though that with Marie Antoinette Coppola makes you think about how Marie Anotinette's life could have been like. Looking how she and her friends go through different boxes of shoes and show there love for the most beautiful fabrics for dresses, like modern day women on a shopping spree, feels at first completely out of place. However, it does make you wonder if this could have been really the way things were. We people living in the present, just can't tell. Why can't it be that Marie Antoinette was really like girls of today, very interested in fashion and looking good? What bothers the most though, is the language. It's normal for American filmmakers to tell the story of foreign people in the English language, but still, it does seems kind of strange and makes you think how all of this would have sounded like when spoken in French and the difference this surely would have made. Hearing them sing happy birthday when Marie Antoinette reaches the age of 18, strikes you as totally misplaced. Still the film can be very much enjoyed, even with these little things that can be seen as tiny flaws. Overall Marie Antoinette has this great dreamy atmosphere, kind of similar to Coppola's Lost In Translation, which was part of what made the film such a huge succes. These stream of images that pass by, with especially in the first part, not much dialogue, is providing you a way to just look and go along in this wonderful world of bright colours and insanity. Everything is arranged for this teenage girl, who's only purpose is to give birth to a boy who one day can become king. Coppola is great in creating these atmospheres. Kirsten Dunst looking flawless in a field of grass gushing over a handsome guy and running together with friends partying and enjoying the sunset, just like in Lost In Translation nothing really happens and yet at the same there happens so much. It's a film that works on feeling. The way you are affected by the images shown on screen and the way you in your mind create with them this wonderful world is the power of these films. You reflect, looking at your own life and thinking about which of these images you would love to be part of your own world you live your live in everyday. Coppola's films make you think in this way a lot and way more than other films tend to do. It's therefore her films sometimes seem to be about little and quite empty, when actually they happen to be not.What is it about?
Marie Antoinette leaves Vienna to marry in France and become queen. Leaving her family behind she, being only a teenager, finds herself in a world full of luxury and servants doing everything for her from making everyday dinners to waking her up and feeding her children. It's a very insane world for a young girl who is supposed to figure out life and sexuality at a peaceful pace. Constantly reminded by her mother that in order to secure her place
she has to give birth to a boy who can follow in the king's footsteps, she feels a certain pressure. Eventually, though, she makes the best of it, enjoying the lush life and forgetting about the people of France, who unlike her, aren't able to eat as much cake as they want all day or run around in pretty dresses. Though it's hard to blame this girl who didn't ask for this life herself either. She just happens to be Marie Antoinette and not just a girl from a farm. By taking the things as they are, she learns how to cope with the madness the life of a queen can be and succeeds in not being run over by all the people who tell her what it is she must do.Final Verdict: ****
Marie Antoinette definitely is not the greatest piece of cinema, but there is very much to enjoy. It's just a very nice film with a nice pace and one that looks beautiful. For something like two hours as a viewer you find yourself bathing in this colourful world, being drenched in pretty pictures accompanied by a great soundtrack. Marie Antoinette is filmed in a manner that gives it this very present day look. Unlike most films of the genre which, when you look at them, have this feeling that makes you aware the film is telling a story of past time, Marie Antoinette has this very fresh look, which makes you feel as if the story unfolds just right now the moment you are watching it happen. Reason for this is the way the camera moves around the scenery. The camera really follows Marie, almost walking along with her, by her side. Showing at times her point of view, like, for example, when looking at the big bed that she will be going to sleep in, being almost completely astonished by the fact that all this is all hers. Great are the scenes where she walks into this crowd of people, a masked ball, with the camera almost invading the space. Though only showing what's on screen, you are very much aware of what goes
on behind the camera. The scenes are so vivid, that it makes you feel to be standing in the middle of the crowd yourself. The presence of those who aren't shown, even is felt. Kirsten Dunst who plays Marie Antoinette does a decent job in portraying the young queen. Though there's little to her role. With almost no dialogue it's just her looking at the things around her, the madness of the big landscapes and beautiful royal palaces. She does give great way to the emotions felt by this girl who's only a teenager and happens to make youf eel very involved in her life and character. The soundtrack is very up to date with a lot of contemporary pop and rock instead of big orchestra tunes. It's a risky choice Coppola makes, but she just does it. This is her film and her vision of Marie Antoinette and she doesn't let herself be stopped by the conventions one might expect to be part of the genre. Marie Antoinette definitely is not a Lost In Translation, but it's a very solid and especially fun film which just should be enjoyed, and that besides the little flaws, is very entertaining and gives this really nice view of a girl growing up in a world which would make everyone feel out of place. Marketed as a 'chick flick' which to me isn't really fair and makes that the film is easily categorized which isn't a positive thing as I believe the film can be very much enjoyed by a male audience as well, which for a big part is because of the film's aim at feeling. With lots of pink Marie Antoinette seems to be very girl targeted, but guys who very much liked both The Virgin Suicides and Lost In Translation will find enjoyment in this one as well and because of Coppola will be very much interested. And if the characters won't raise much interest the great cinematography and camerawork will, because the images shown are of pure beauty with astonishing lighting.
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