I didn’t know a lot about Maïwenn’s Jeanne Du Barry earlier than attending a latest screening. Studying up solely ever so barely would in all probability have saved me from thirty minutes of interrogating my housemates about French historical past. Upon doing so, nonetheless, the movie started to suit collectively like items in an ideal jigsaw puzzle.
I did know a bit, nonetheless. I knew that the movie was warmly obtained at its world premiere on the 2023 Cannes Movie Pageant. I additionally knew that the movie marked Johnny Depp’s return to the massive display screen after a couple of, let’s say, tumultuous years. I used to be additionally conscious that the movie’s director and lead actor, Maïwenn had been desirous to make this movie since 2006 when she noticed Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. Given the movie was practically as previous as me, I had acquired an unbelievably curious thoughts.
And for good purpose too. I watched the movie like a stranger and left like a romanticist with the sky painted pink.
We first meet a mischievous younger Jeanne Bécu (Emma Kaboré Dufour) being kicked out of a convent for studying smutty books. The following time we meet her, Bécu is efficiently working as a courtesan in Paris beneath aristocratic pimp, Le Comte du Barry (Melvil Poupaud). Along with his help, Bécu subsequently meets King Louis XV (Johnny Depp). Earlier than doing so, nonetheless, Bécu undergoes a reasonably invasive gynaecological inspection by royal medics. She’s then knowledgeable concerning the palace protocol she should observe when assembly the King, together with doing a foolish shuffle backwards when leaving the room.
To her credit score nonetheless, she doesn’t observe any of it. Impressed by her boldness and wonder, the King turns into fairly smitten with Bécu. To the dismay of others, notably the King’s grownup daughters, the pair grow to be considerably inseparable and Bécu’s standing ascends by way of the gold ceiling.
The battle arrives when Dauphin (Diego Le Fur) chooses to marry Marie Antoinette (Pauline Pollman). Antoinette and Bécu subsequently take pleasure in one thing of a fractious relationship all through the movie, typically affected by problems with upstaging each other. Because the King’s well being declines, Bécu’s energy does too, and tragedy rises its ugly head.
Upon reflecting on the movie, it appears reasonably ironic that Maïwenn determined to solid Depp because the King. In fact, the casting of Depp in any movie is commonly a alternative made by producers for monetary causes, as he has lengthy been a extremely bankable title. Whereas the Depp of 2024 is much less of a secure guess, he’s really much more fascinating. Right here Depp performs a personality, which, like him, enjoys obscene wealth and an entourage of employees catering to his each demand. Depp’s Louis XV can fairly clearly see proper by way of all of this and craves one thing deeper. That is one thing Depp can possible relate to as nicely.
Moreover, Maïwenn’s casting of herself within the movie additionally looks like an ideal alternative. Right here Bécu is a daring, brave lady unwilling to stay beneath the expectations positioned on her. She reads books within the bathtub. She wears what she needs. Maïwenn herself is way the identical. She knew the casting of Depp on this movie could be a controversial transfer, but she did it anyway.
Regardless of the right casting, nonetheless, I couldn’t, nonetheless, actually imagine within the love between the King and Bécu. That isn’t to say that Depp and Maïwenn didn’t have any chemistry, it was simply the connection didn’t really feel as infectious because it wanted to be to warrant a visceral response. Each Depp and Maïwenn are nonetheless excellent of their respective roles. Maïwenn’s Bécu feels grounded but gentle. Moreover, Depp’s subdued King speaks good French and marks an fascinating flip within the profession of one in all Hollywood’s nice chameleons.
The movie can also be one thing of a visible triumph. One might take a look at cinematographer, Laurant Dailland’s gorgeously crafted pictures of Versailles all day and never catch a wink of boredom. To not point out the impeccably crafted costumes which go away one reasonably hungry to put on royal regalia and parade round the home.
It have to be famous nonetheless, that regardless of Jeanne being a courtesan, there may be really not a number of intercourse or nudity on this movie. Whereas this seems like a really apparent alternative by Maïwenn, I simply felt that the movie required a bit one thing extra to make me actually imagine in Bécu’s alluring nature.
By the identical token, the movie additionally feels very grounded. It’s nicely paced and at no level does it fall into the lure of getting misplaced in aesthetic. I might say nonetheless, the movie has a a lot straighter strategy than say, Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favorite or Coppola’s Marie Antoinette.
And due to that, to me, it felt just like the movie was lacking a hook or a trick. It’s like viewing a phenomenal church within the south of France. You stroll into it and are immediately entranced by its baroque nature and fifteenth century artefacts. However you then go into one other Church, and it’s a lot the identical. Quite a lot of the awe then finally ends up evaporating. Whereas Jeanne du Barry left much more than a shrug of the shoulders, it simply didn’t have sufficient in it to make it sit aside from the opposite canon of interval items already in existence.
Regardless of this, it have to be famous that Maiwenn is a correct filmmaker. She workouts a degree of boldness that many filmmakers ought to take notes from. I simply want the boldness of the filmmaker matched up with the boldness of the movie.