A wasted opportunity to make a great and beautiful film

Rating: 5/10 (4 October 2006)

This film has both strengths and weaknesses. The strength being the extravagant costumes and beautiful sets as well as the original and clever choice of music. Pop music accompanying a period drama has the potential of bringing the viewer more closely into the minds of the characters, shortening the distance between teenagers in 18th century France and contemporary teenagers. Although this approach did to some extent work, it also had the opposite effect in that Marie-Antoinettes seemingly easy acceptance to her new role as a French royal became difficult to understand. Some dialogue would certainly have helped. And it is the lack of dialogue that really hurts this film. With all the time, money and effort going into designing the sets, it all seems rather wasteful when the script is so weak. A great opportunity to tell a great story is completely missed! It was really like watching "lost in translation" all over again.