"Marie" dazzles

Rating: 9/10 (1 November 2006)

Here's a movie that's going to anger more than a few audiences. Some will find it boring, uneventful, vapid. (These were the same complaints leveled against director's "Lost in Translation.") Others will be angered at the anachronistic use of 80's new wave and modern garage rock. Still others, like the French at Cannes where the film premiered, will be angered that the film doesn't take an overtly critical view of Marie Antoinette's hedonism, funded by the taxpayers, and apparent callousness to the plight of her starving subjects.
I think these critics are missing the point. Director Sofia Coppola who is a master of mood and malaise presents us with a clueless Versailles court and defunct monarchy. Vapidity is their birthright. Marie Antoinette (Kirsten Dunst) is pretty clueless concerning the walls outside of Versailles. She is tended to, doted upon, constantly gossiped about, and given no higher charge than to produce a male heir with her disinterested, simple spouse Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzmann). She is insulated and given little to do. But she is young, vivacious, and needs an outlet for her energy. Coppola expertly captures Marie's boredom through long stretches of dreamy wandering--see "Lost in Translation"--and by depicting the grind of her courtly responsibilities.
When Marie lets loose in the film's second act she does so to the tune of Siouxsie and the Banshees. To those who bristle at the score, I should remind them that the Dion-influenced score of "Titanic" wasn't exactly authentic to the period, either. The music works well as an emotional cue. To a contemporary audience, "Hong Kong Garden" simply evokes a certain response not captured by chamber music.
The film benefits immensely from being filmed at Versailles. When the camera looks out across the grounds, Versailles appears completely isolated from the outside world. You have no sense of the angry, volatile nearby city. The costuming of the film is also fantastic. The clash of modern rock with 18th century custom and costume is bracing and inspired. (If you look closely during the shoe fitting montage, you'll see a Converse All-Star on the floor.) The opening sequence where Dunst shoots the audience a come hither look is immediately followed by the punk rock inspired credit sequence to the tune of Gang of Four's "Natural's Not in It." These moments get the movie off to a rousing start and will probably either fill you with dread or with anticipatory glee.
The cast is eclectic and accomplished. Danny Huston, Judy Davis, Rip Torn, Asia Argento, and Steve Coogan all deliver fine performances. SNL fans will be happy to see Molly Shannon as a gossipy courtier. Schwartzmann continues to show a growing range as the ineffectual Louis. The film belongs to Dunst, though, who both elicits sympathy and anger as we observe the obtuseness that leads to her demise.
A fantastic film that will divide audiences. Go see it.