A better storytelling is still in the waiting

Rating: 4/10 (30 April 2018)

This movie seems about setting the records straight for one of the most misunderstood historical characters. It starts well with Antoinette's girlhood and her introduction to the French court as the Austrian bride. But then it drags on about her vanities, bitter marriage, her addiction to gambling and lavish lifestyle by completely missing the point that she lived at a time which makes up one of the most interesting historical turning points of the mankind. Only at the end of the movie, the revolution is depicted with an angry mob carrying pitchforks and sickles in a perfunctory manner. Indeed, her last years in the dungeon after her arrest are completely ignored, which could be a much more interesting subject than her superfluously narrated court life.
Add to that, the pop soundtrack in the first half sounds too cheesy and turns a potentially historical gem into a chick-flick. The only positive side is the superb acting by Kirsten Dunst, who almost single-handedly saves the movie from a complete train wreck. Ironically, this also emphasizes the fact that she was alone in the leading role with a very obscure portrayal of her husband.