Review of Farewell, My Queen (2012) by Michael L — 29 Jun 2013
FAREWELL MY QUEEN beautifully captures the chaos and secrecy surrounding the French court in the days immediately following the storming of the Bastille. By presenting the drama through the eyes of Marie Antoinette's reader, director Benoit Jacquot shies away from the usual trappings of costume dramas by never relishing that which was truly despised by the aristocracy's subjects.
The film is perfectly acted, with a score that plows into the mind, unfortunately, FAREWELL MY QUEEN also falls a bit flat in it's overlong middle section but ends beautifully. FAREWELL MY QUEEN's intimate view of Versailles is at times staggering and the representation of Marie Antoinette and her relationship to her servants is consistently complex and true to the proceedings.
At times, the film feels downright brilliant but then disappoints and never becomes the full-blooded work it could have been. In many ways, it's typical for Jacquot has made consistently good films that just never ingrain themselves .
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This review of Farewell, My Queen (2012) was written by Michael L on 29 Jun 2013.
Farewell, My Queen has generally received positive reviews.
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