Farewell, My Queen
By S. Jhoanna Robledo,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Gripping, mature account of Marie Antoinette.
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Farewell, My Queen
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What's the Story?
Versailles, July 1789. The Bastille is being stormed. With the uprisings in the background, Queen Marie Antoinette (Diane Kruger) and her court are in a state of disarray trying to figure out how the future will unfold. The film follows the experiences of Sidonie Laborde (Lea Seydoux), the queen's personal reader, whose loyalty to the queen knows no bounds, even when she's asked to make a huge sacrifice. Her Majesty, meanwhile, is under scrutiny not just because of the extravagant royal way of life, but also for her friendships -- especially with the mysterious and scandalous Gabrielle de Polignac (Virginie Ledoyen).
Is It Any Good?
Beautiful to look at and engrossing to watch, FAREWELL, MY QUEEN lures you in. It makes you feel as if you're being allowed into secret chambers, where royalty removes its regal mask, and humanity -- specifically, passion and yearning -- awaits. Kruger makes an interesting Marie Antoinette, at once tempestuous and tragic. But her wealth of feeling for Gabrielle de Polignac rings a little bit hollow; it's the movie's biggest flaw (there aren't many), considering that we're supposed to believe that she has risked so much for that friendship. More time is spent with Sidonie, who does, indeed, engross.
But the movie, as compelling as it is, feels like it has shorted everyone: the queen, Sidonie, Gabrielle. Even Louis XVI, for that matter. Ultimately it's a too-brisk run through some of France's most important days.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Marie Antoinette: Does she seem as flip and wasteful as some historians have made her out to be? Teens: What did you know about her before seeing Farewell, My Queen?
What keeps Sidonie loyal, given how the queen doesn't exactly feel the same toward her? For that matter, what drives the royal-and-royal-subject dynamic?
Discuss the affair at the heart of the film. Is it true? Do historians really know? How could you find out more?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 13, 2012
- On DVD or streaming: January 15, 2013
- Cast: Diane Kruger , Lea Seydoux , Virginie Ledoyen
- Director: Benoit Jacquot
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Cohen Media Group
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: History
- Run time: 100 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: brief graphic nudity and language
- Last updated: October 24, 2023
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