Maïwenn’s film Jeanne du Barry, selected to open the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, takes a bold and daring approach by telling the life and turbulent journey of Jeanne Vaubernier, court favorite of the French King Louis XV. (Johnny Depp). Fueled by her ambition to escape poverty, Jeanne uses her charms to captivate men of influence and eventually attract the attention of the king himself. The film beautifully portrays their love-at-first-sight encounter, which inspired Louis XV’s joie de vivre. and leads to the controversial decision to make Jeanne his official favourite. The ensuing scandal highlights the prejudices and social expectations of the time, with Jeanne’s presence at court causing a stir among the aristocracy.
Maïwenn’s film Jeanne du Barry, selected to open the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, takes a bold and daring approach by telling the life and turbulent journey of Jeanne Vaubernier, court favorite of the French King Louis XV. (Johnny Depp). Fueled by her ambition to escape poverty, Jeanne uses her charms to captivate men of influence and eventually attract the attention of the king himself. The film beautifully portrays their love-at-first-sight encounter, which inspired Louis XV’s joie de vivre. and leads to the controversial decision to make Jeanne his official favourite. The ensuing scandal highlights the prejudices and social expectations of the time, with Jeanne’s presence at court causing a stir among the aristocracy.
Depp is the most notable character in Jeanne du Barry, returning to the big screen after a three-year hiatus following a high-profile trial of his ex-wife Amber Heard. Depp ventures out of his comfort zone to act and speak in French, and while his lyrics are sparse, he sounds authentic even to French-speaking ears. The 57-year-old actor shows no signs of ring rust. He puts on a classic dork performance, proving once again that acting goes beyond just uttering words, but also includes facial expressions, eye movements and body presence. Still, Pirates of the Caribbean fans might spot a certain resemblance between Jeanne du Barry’s Louis XV and Jack Sparrow as the judge in Stranger Tides.
In Jeanne du Barry, Maïwenn directs, writes and acts as the titular heroine, a sign that the project is very close to her heart. The film portrays Jeanne as a cunning woman navigating a world dominated by powerful men, fearlessly breaking societal norms and making her own way. This aspect of the film reflects Maïwenn’s audacity and willingness to challenge conventions in Cannes and elsewhere. One cannot overlook the controversy surrounding the director herself. The artist’s problematic relationship with the press, in particular the alleged attack on a journalist, casts a shadow over the film’s reception. However, it is important to separate the artist from the artwork and judge the film on its own merits.
Unfortunately, the film fails to fully understand why Jeanne was chosen by King Louis XV. becomes so indispensable. While her charm and allure are obvious, the film doesn’t elaborate on her extraordinary qualities and reduces her character to a beautiful woman who reads books and knows unusual words. This omission leaves a void in the depiction of Jeanne’s importance and undermines the film’s exploration of her rise to power. Another shortcoming of the film lies in its narrative structure. The stylistic decision to use time jumps creates a disjointed experience, with the film resembling a collage of vignettes that are not always seamlessly connected. This approach hinders the audience’s immersion in the story and prevents a full account of Jeanne’s character and motivations.
In summary, Jeanne du Barry is a film that elicits mixed reactions. Sure, it shows aspects of the director’s guts, and the cast is mostly spot on. In addition to Depp, Benjamin Lavernhe’s La Borde and India Hair’s Adélaïde, among others, should be mentioned. Nevertheless, the film fails to convincingly explain the importance of its protagonist. Above all, a lot is left to the imagination, which is totally unexpected considering that the protagonist is a courtesan.
SCORE: 6/10
As explained in ComingSoon’s Rating Guidelines, a rating of 6 equals “Fair”. It does not reach its full potential and is an experience of the extra class.