Marie Antoinette

By Gus Bode

‘Marie Antoinette’ Rated PG-13 Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis Directed by Sofia Coppola Run time: 1 hour, 58 minutes

3.5 Gus heads out of 4

(“Marie Antoinette” is playing at Town Plaza Cinema in Cape Girardeau, Mo. It is not playing in Carbondale.)

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Never before has the world witnessed a period piece quite like “Marie Antoinette.”

Sofia Coppola brings color and imagination to the story of the woman who became the queen of France at 19. Beautiful sets and colorful costumes really make this film a visual odyssey unlike any other.

Following Coppola’s first two films, “The Virgin Suicides” and “Lost in Translation,” she once again deals with a character who feels isolated and uncomfortable in a world she is not familiar with.

Kirsten Dunst plays the leading lady and shows this feeling very well. She brings the audience along with her to make them feel as much discomfort as she feels.

The film’s story follows Marie Antoinette’s life from when she is married to Louis XVI at 15 to when she inherits her role as queen. The film displays her coping with being taken from Austria and brought to France, as well as how she dealt with being the queen and having responsibility that she didn’t want to face.

It does a beautiful job of showing how teenagers in those times would have dealt with such a responsibility – by having parties and taking advantage of what is given to them.

The best part of the entire film is the costumes, the set designs and the gorgeous scenery. The film was shot on location in Versailles, France, with a $40 million budget, so you can only imagine what came of that combination. The costumes in the film were absolutely untouchable. They were so colorful and creative that it was a joy to watch.

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The camerawork in the film was definitely Coppola’s best so far, showing some steady yet elegant shots. She also did a lot of handheld work, which let the film take on its modern feeling.

The music was also another great part of the film. Sofia Coppola has always been a fan of ’80s music and uses it quite well in this flick. The film opens with Gang of Fours’ “Natural’s Not In It,” which gives the film a good kick off and lets the audience know directly that the film is not going to be the average period piece. Along with bands like New Order and The Cure, the film has a solid feel throughout its entirety.

One negative aspect of “Marie Antoinette” is that the acting is really nothing special. Kirsten Dunst does what is needed, but with a lack of talent, it seems the role could have been played by anyone. Another small negative was that the film felt a little long during some parts, but as a whole, it was still very well done.

For anyone who is a fan of Sofia Coppola’s previous work, this film has all of the usual ingredients. If not, then go see his other films first before “Marie Antoinette.”

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