real flesh and blood

Rating: Null/10 (8 November 2006)

The singular accomplishment of Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette is the rendering of a two dimensional historical figure and time into real flesh and blood. Kirsten Dunst's performance is powerful but it is Coppola's direction and Lance Acord's cinematography that brings the teenage queen off the tired page that's been her home for the past century and a half and into our experience. Coppola wastes no time in throwing us into the madness that was pre-revolutionary France. She wants us on Marie's side as she reacts to the absurd structure and strictures of the French court at Versailles. This is ridiculous, she complains early on and we couldn't agree more. The pressure to consummate the arranged marriage to Louis Auguste (the only miscue was Jason Schwartzman as Louis) is almost too much to bear for the sixteen year old Marie and we become fans immediately. Coppola spares us yet another version of the French Revolution as we see only a grumbling mob near the end. Marie silences the mob with a balcony bow. Her reaction to their sudden silence tells us everything we need to know. She can't believe what she sees. We can, though, and therein lies the brilliance of Coppola's work.