Style, style, and style.

Rating: 4/10 (28 July 2017)

Bedazzled by an array of chatoyant gowns and prismatic production value, Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette never gets past its stylish frames. The color pink is heavily used in its luster; a traditional symbol of reign and Dunst's autonomous lust, but these kaleidoscopic images rapidly putrefy in the hands of a shoddy plot and weak characterization.
The plot is a museum of ravishing shots; the dialogue is very minimal, and the portrait of Marie Antoinette's ill fate never reaches its pinnacle as her character is nothing more than a beautiful figure in a ravishing dress. The problems she faces are more so caused by her capricious nature, and the film doesn't establish a profound statement about her mingled entanglement in life's promiscuous pleasures; thus, empathy for the character is difficult to obtain. This applies the same for the rest of the cast; the acting will do, but they never just get interesting. This may be the result of the lack of a proper screenplay, but as exquisite as the film looks, this is as bland as it gets. The last 15 minutes are handled better (as dire consequences are met), but as a whole, this biopic was quite forgettable.
A supposed narrative about the intricate chain of thoughtless decisions leading to the fall of Versailles turns into a game of frocks and garments. The cinematography and production are indeed beautiful, but as far as substance goes, this doesn't reach its maximum potential. I can see the themes of regal expectations and irresponsible teenagers not blending well, but the representation of the characters in a clunky plot make this film a snoozy and uninteresting watch.