Off with her head!

Rating: 2/10 (15 January 2007)

What was on my mind was finally getting to see "Marie Antoinette", before it disappeared all together! Now I'm usually a real sucker for costume epics, especially with some good historical background. This film directed by Sophie Coppolla, couldn't choose a more colorful subject matter than the ill-fated queen of the feckless Louis XVI! My cat could have made a better movie. Half the film establishes Marie as a party girl, overwhelmed yet fascinated with her exalted and obscenely wealthy station. The second half reinforces the first. Nothing happens.
Vacuous dialog, with action focused around overdressed fops scurrying along palace halls, rolling in elysian fields, flirting at a masked ball, or trotting along in huge pumpkin like carriages. With none but the briefest mention of some apparently disgruntled peasants, the palace is suddenly seized by the unwashed rabble, the king and queen are quickly thrown into yet another galloping carriage, and............ roll credits. By now you're quite ready for a smashing guillotine scene, but you're denied even this satisfaction! I want 2 hours of my life back!