Interesting insight on Antoinette ...

Rating: Null/10 (28 October 2007)

I was really looking forward to watching this movie; something about watching conspicuous consumption and learning some history seemed intriguing. Although it was not exactly what I was expecting, it was a worthwhile experience.
Basically, the movie is about the early life of Marie Antoinette. It starts with her arrival in France and mostly concentrates on the next several years in her life.
On the plus side, the movie provides an interesting perspective on the emotional challenges faced by Antoinette. It also nicely depicts what it may have been like for her to become part of French royalty. I did not realize that there may have been a fair amount culture shock in this transition. Apparently, she had to essentially give up her Viennese heritage.
On the minus side, her life is put into very little context with regards to historical events. This was probably intentional, but it makes the passage of time a bit confusing. For the most part, I couldn't tell how far apart events were because she looked the same and there was little reference to the outside world. Furthermore, I never really 'felt' the extreme conspicuousness referred to in the trailer for the film. It was there, but it didn't have the strong presence the previews seems to imply.
If you're looking for a biographical retrospective on Marie Antoinette, you won't satisfied with the movie. However, if you want to gain some insight into why Antoinette may have acted as lavishly as she did, then you'll benefit from watching it.