Unique vision, beautifully rendered

Rating: 8/10 (27 May 2007)

Some people seem to get upset at this film's rejection of true historical detail. Others think that it is superficial 'candy'. I believe that Coppola ought to be commended for composing a fresh and personal pastiche of a young woman's experience in an extraordinary time and place. The value of the film lies in its impressionistic qualities. It is superbly cut with images of lasting aesthetic beauty and a cohesive tone and colour palate which holds it together as something far greater than its detractor's seem to be willing to admit. The performances were stripped of the stiffness usually associated with period representations. The film is exceptional in its ability to render the historical figure of Marie Antoinette with immediacy, personality and empathy. It brings to life Sofia Coppola's own 'pastel' vision of a famous story and thereby invests the story with stunning visual beauty which is at times uniquely coupled with a delightfully effervescent tone. I found the movie highly intelligent and compelling.