Jeanne du Barry

I really enjoyed this film! The scenery and the costuming, and the love story set in the time period of Louis XV! Johnny Depp is a master at using his eyes, expression and body language to create a feel in the room where each scene happens. Maiwenn did an excellent portrayal of Jeanne, and you could really feel the chemistry between them. In one scene, the king comes in and totally dominates the room communicating such feeling without words. I highly recommend this film. It was easy to keep up with the French dialogue using the subtitles. The music also carries you away,! I highly recommend this film. You Will feel so many emotions!

Jeanne du Barry plunges into the opulent world of 18th-century Versailles, following the remarkable rise of Jeanne Bécu (played by director Maïwenn herself), a woman born into poverty who claws her way up the social ladder to become the last mistress of King Louis XV (Johnny Depp). The film chronicles their unconventional romance amidst the whispers and machinations of a jealous court.

While Jeanne du Barry boasts undeniable strengths, it ultimately settles for a comfortable mediocrity. Maïwenn's portrayal of Jeanne is the film's heart and soul. She imbues the character with a sharp wit and a fierce determination to survive, causing you to admire her improbable journey. However, Depp's Louis XV feels muted. Trapped under layers of powdered wigs and regal attire, his performance lacks the spark needed to truly capture the complexity of a king burdened by ennui.

The historical context, though not deeply explored, provides a fascinating backdrop. We see glimpses of a society teetering on the brink of revolution, where the extravagance of the court clashes with the growing discontent of the people. This juxtaposition adds a touch of weight to the narrative, but the film doesn't fully explore the social commentary it seems to hint at.

Visually, the film is a treat. The production design meticulously recreates the opulent halls of Versailles, with rich fabrics, gilded furniture, and sparkling chandeliers transporting you to another era. The costumes are equally impressive, a dazzling array of silks and satins that bring the characters to life. The camerawork is steady, but doesn't take many risks, relying on traditional shot compositions.

The score is a pleasant mix of classical and orchestral pieces that complement the on-screen action without being overly dramatic. The editing is efficient, ensuring a smooth and brisk pace. The dialogue, however, can be uneven at times. While some scenes crackle with witty repartee, others fall flat, relying on exposition rather than letting the visuals do the talking.

Jeanne du Barry reminded me, in some ways, of Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette. Both films explore the lives of women who, despite their positions of privilege, are ultimately trapped by societal expectations. However, Marie Antoinette leans into a dreamlike aesthetic and a more melancholic tone, whereas Jeanne du Barry strives for a more grounded historical drama.

Overall, Jeanne du Barry is a visually stunning and entertaining movie that benefits from Mawenn's captivating performance. However, a shallow exploration of its themes and a somewhat underwhelming lead performance from Depp hold it back from greatness. If you're looking for a lavish historical romance with a strong female lead, this is worth watching. But for those seeking a deeper exploration of the characters and their place in history, you may leave with a desire for more.

Lush and big-budgeted costumer retells life of title role from an illegitimate girl to influential favorite. Epic on life of famous French favorite has Maiween in title role but lacks perspective and historical accuracy , though sets & costumes are excellent , being marketed for a large audience. This is a sympathetic biopic of the 18th-century favorite, the most notorious French courtesan , retelling the iconic figure, as Du Barry (Maiwenn) went on to rise through the Court of Louis XV to become his last official mistress. At the beginning, her lover, the Count du Barry (Melvil Poupaud) , who is getting rich thanks to Jeanne's lucrative gallantry, wishes to introduce her to the King. He organizes the meeting through the intermediary of the influential Duke of Richelieu (Pierre Richard) . This one exceeds his expectations: between Louis XV (Johnny Depp) and Jeanne, it's love at first sight... With the courtesan, the King rediscovers his taste for life - so much so that he can no longer do without her and decides to make her his official favorite.

Delicious eye candy, but lacking in substance, this is a glamorous as well as opulent film of life of 18th century French courtesan filled with agreeable drama , luxurious gowns , impressive palaces but lacks good pace and historical events ; so this story is not historically accurate. Maiwenn captures somewhat essence of title character giving a passable acting. She shines in this enjoyable but uneven, lavish & sadly neglected film .Maiwenn co-writes, directs and stars in this majestic biopic about Jeanne Du Barry, illegitimate daughter of a priest, the most hated woman at the court of Versailles and the favorite of the king, Louis XV, who regained his will to live thanks to this courtesan. We walk through the life of this rebellious woman who broke with the codes of the corseted Versailles of the 18th century, scandalizing an entire country and was always exposed to all kinds of mockery, insults and harassment from those who always wanted to remind her of her origins. Maiwenn decided to make a film about Du Barry, after seeing her character in ¨Sofia Coppola's film Marie Antoinette¨, and also influenced by ¨Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon¨. Maiwenn stated the following: Jeanne Du Barry seduced me because she is a magnificent loser. The movie had hundreds of costumes and lavish set designs . Some gowns became extremely heavy due to the embroidery, flounces and precious stones used . This film is really a historical/"pseudo-historical" drama , with the Versailles Court as the back scenery, for all kinds of entertaining intrigues . Spectacular and colorful scenarios , in fact , crew was allowed to film on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, Yvelines; along with colorful and brilliant cinematography by Laurent Dailland. Adding evocative musical score by composer musical score Stephen Warbeck . The motion picture unevenly written, produced and directed directed by Maiwenn , though she later admitted that this was too much for her, and swore to never direct and star at the same time in a movie again.

The film based on historical deeds and adding more happenings , these are the following: Jeanne Bécu, Comtesse du Barry (19 August 1743 - 8 December 1793). Jeanne Bécu was the illegitimate daughter of Anne Bécu, a 30-year-old seamstress. Jeanne's father remains unidentified; however, it is possible that her father was Jean Jacques Gomard, a friar. She was the last maîtresse-en-titre of King Louis XV of France. She was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution on accusations of treason-particularly being suspected of assisting émigrés to flee from the Revolution. She is also known as "Mademoiselle Vaubernier". In 1768, when the king wished to make Jeanne maîtresse-en-titre, etiquette required her to be the wife of a high courtier, so she was hastily married on 1 September 1768 to Comte Guillaume du Barry. The wedding ceremony was accompanied by a false birth certificate, created by Jean-Baptiste du Barry, the comte's older brother. The certificate made Jeanne appear younger by three years and obscured her poor background. Henceforth, she was recognized as the king's official paramour. Her arrival at the French royal court scandalized some, as she had been a courtesan and came from humble beginnings. She was shunned by many, including Marie Antoinette, whose contempt for Jeanne caused alarm and dissension at court. On New Year's Day 1772, Marie Antoinette deigned to speak to Jeanne; her remark, "There are many people at Versailles today", was enough to take the edge off the dispute, though many still disapproved of Jeanne. Decades later, during the Reign of Terror in the French Revolution, Jeanne was imprisoned over accusations of treason by her slave Zamor. She was executed by guillotine on 8 December 1793. Her body was buried in the Madeleine cemetery. The fabulous gems which she had smuggled to London were sold at auction in 1795.

Initially, i watched the movie for Johnny Deep only, as he is my fav actor (and a crush, of course). My thoughts for this movie is that it will depend on your perspective, and also expectative, while watching this.

First of all: Jeanne Du Barry. Maiwenn casted herself as Jeanne Du Barry, but, as we can see, is not an appropiate casting cos of her age and looks. Du Barry was said to have delicate features; big almond blue eyes, blond hair, fair skin, etc. She was extremely beautiful. She was also about 25 yo when she met Louis XV. When u think about it, Maiwenn is not the best casting for the role. She is way older and has a different type of beauty than Du Barry used to have.

At many moments i thought that Maiwenn over romanticized her character: to be childlike, rebelious but kind, not racist (her portrayed relationship with Zamor in the movie felt disohnest.and unreal) all those things. Why tho? Why not present this historical figure as it was? To please the modern audience? Honestly i dont think so. I do understand as a woman why she would cast herself, but why lie about the character's true self? Fulfilling her own fantasies maybe?

Depp: I love johnny depp and maybe my critics about him are not to be trusted. I mainly watched the movie because of him, and he was as charming as ever (in my eyes). Now, honestly, i guess he did well with what was given to him. Not many lines,simple dialogues, not too much of emotion was given to our guy. He did well. I dont undestand french, so i wont say much about it. But now i gotta go back to Maiwenn: Why did she chose him? I'm sure many other actors could've played the role, as it is not complex at all (not in this movie). A good french actor with the proper looks would have done well too.

Now, the historical details and portrayed extravagance was as good as you can expect from any other historical movie. Good portraying. In the other hand, the real impact their relationship had at the time seemed to be left aside.

In conclusion: If you want historical accuracy, this is not the best choice. If you are looking for a love afair story (with little emotion), go for it. Maybe Maiwenn wanted to live a romantic story alongside Johnny Depp? I dont know, but it feels like it somehow. 'I'm happy he was in this, but it is questionable. Not at all wrong, but curious. Maybe 'i'm thinking too much. The movie was dishonest at many moments, but i did not disliked it completely as my expectations weren't high. It pleased me somehow, despite my critics. It is controversial, but if you ignore history maybe you will like it.

At the end, it does feels like a fanfiction.

Very much in the vein of the recent "Versailles" and "Marie Antoinette" serialisations, this rather opulent drama shows us a little of the excesses and ridiculousness of court life in 18th century France. This time, it's Jeanne Bécu (Maïwenn) who is the shrewd young woman who quickly learns how to use her "charms" to get on in life. Eventually, she is noticed by the ambitious Count du Barry (Melvil Poupaud) who is friends with the Duc de Richelieu (Pierre Richard) who happens to be a procurer of fun for King Louis XV (Johnny Depp). Nervously introduced, she pours a little scorn on the silliness of court protocol and provides him with quite a refreshingly honest companion. Of course, his daughters immediately take offence and the arrival of Marie Antoinette (Pauline Pullman) to marry the Dauphin (Diego Le Fur) ensures battle lines are quickly drawn. The now married Countess du Barry cannot remain at court if she is constantly shunned by the Dauphine, so a bit of well costumed political intrigue ensues as the King and his mistress struggle to find a little recognition for her and happiness for them both. I found there to be quite an effective chemistry between Depp and Maïwenn, especially during the protracted malarkey that was his morning levée, and I loved the absurd wigs on his disproving daughter Princess Adélaïde (India Hair), who led a troupe of her entitled and unpleasant sisters like ducklings along behind her. It's a gorgeous film to watch, the beauty and grandeur of his palatial home and the whole aesthetic really works well at delivering a grand environment for the plotter and the sycophant. Depp doesn't really have too much to do here and the writing isn't the best though. At times it renders it little better than a very well produced, expensive, pantomime and I could have done with just a little more character development of both the principals here. That said, it's a classy and stylish piece of cinema that looks very impressive on big screen.