Review – Farewell My Queen

You’d think that inserting a lesbian love triangle into one of the bloodiest and most turbulent events in French history would result in a gratuitous medley of sex and violence, but as it turns out Farewell My Queen is not one for cheap thrills. Based on the Chantal Thomas historical novel about the French Revolution, the film introduces viewers to Queen Marie Antoinette (played compellingly by Diane Kruger) from the perspective of her infatuated servant Sidonie Laborde (Léa Seydoux), depicting with an unsettling sense of authenticity the inert hysteria of a noble class effectively facing their end of days.

The cinematography is exquisite, with a slow-moving camera drifting through lavish rooms and past sumptuously dressed-up aristocrats. Like the camerawork, the plot crawls along slowly, yet in some respects feels quite rushed – no context is given to Sidonie’s Queen-crush, and the first half of the film feels a little lost. And while it is impressive that director Benoît Jacquot has managed to tell the story of the French Revolution without spilling a drop of blood, the resulting tale is frustratingly flat at times as viewers are lurched from one melancholy conversation to another.

Nevertheless, it’s a quality film, and offers plenty for those with the patience to wade on through.