Hi. I had to use this picture, rather than one of the pink frothy candy-coated pictures of Kirsten Dunst and friends being twee in their panniers and silk because this is the picture that has Jason Schwartzman in it. Let it be known that after seeing this film, I want Jason Schawartzman for Christmas.
Really. I'm not kidding.
It will be perfectly alright. I won't do anything bad to him. I just want him to hang out at my house. I'll read a book or do my laundry or something and occassionally I'll say "Hey, how ya doing over there?" He'll look up with those big brown eyes and say "I'm in the middle of something here" and go back to whatever he was doing. Which will be great 'cause if there's anything to do with Jason Schwartzman it would be hanging out not doing something, together.
Which is exactly like this film. It's a dreamy disconnected confection of a film and we all spent a lot of time not doing anything together. Marie had nothing to do, Louis had nothing to do, I - an audience member - eventually had nothing to do because we all go wrapped up in this strange gilded energy and spent time doing a beautiful nothing.
My hairdresser told me that Sofia Coppola wanted to make a silent film but there's no way the studio would green light it. This makes sense. There is plenty of talking but none of it really communicates what anyone is feeling. This is, after all, the Age of Reason, and if what you are experiencing dosnt' fit into tightly defined social bounds, then it's just not mentioned. The real communication is done by the sountrack, which is exquisite. In fact, just go buy the soundtrack right now. It is the true voice of the film and of Sofia Copola.
Kirstin Dunst is... okay. I think she's something of a brat personally and in the rare unscripted moments of the film you can tell. But, I guess that's Miss Marie Antoinette, anyway, so it's alright. The rest of the cast is surprising as well as excellent. Rip Torn and Molly Shannon aren't the kids you'd immediately think of to put in a costume film but they are wonderful.
Anyway, MARIE ANTOINETTE is gorgeous delicious Gen-X entertainment and I want to see the film about six more times. Jason Schwartzman can come with me.