Another vote for could've been great but not quite.

Rating: Null/10 (6 April 2007)

Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette" is an interesting, entertaining film that comes close to greatness, particularly in its creation of the bubble-like world of privilege and infighting, tempered by the earthiness of Louis XV, the kindness of Louis XVI, and the kindness and vivacity of Marie herself. It's very much on key there and I don't mind that Ms. Coppola backed away from trying to give us historical vignettes on the collapse outside the little world of Versailles. However for the film to really work, it needed either some grounding in the outer world of suffering France or at least a proper, utterly shocking blowout scene when reality comes crashing in. Instead we get a rather mild and tepid deflation. Just the historic, tragic scene of the royals trapped in their crashing little fairyland, their loyal handful of Swiss guards butchered, and Louis bravely facing the mob, Marie with him, earning the respect of a young Napoleon in attendance should have provided the material necessary. Louis and Marie certainly don't deserve more compassion and sympathy than their abused, starving subjects but setting them solely in the Versailles fairyland gives them the impression of having no role or responsibility...They're like pretty dressed dolls on display, with nothing to do, waiting to be broken, till the world suddenly makes them human again. And maybe to some limited extent that was part of the truth...But if so, then we need to see the explosion that made them come to life...And death.