Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Marie Antoinette
2006
**
Director: Sofia Coppola
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis, Rip Torn, Rose Byrne, Steve Coogan, Asia Argento, Molly Shannon, Jamie Dornan

Sofia Coppola's offbeat biopic is based on Antonia Fraser's autobiography Marie Antoinette: The Journey, which takes a more lenient view on this controversial figure in French history. She's portrayed as a poor little rich girl from Austria who always feels like a misunderstood outsider in France. As a historical portrait, this is unauthentic and unconvincing. As a piece of entertainment, it's incredibly dull. The sets and the Academy Award winning costumes are lavishly designed, but Coppola's overall mise-en-scène is somewhat underwhelming. Her anachronistic New Wave soundtrack works amazingly well, though.