WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Period pieces. They have been a movie staple for quite a lengthy time, and have arrived to us in many different forms. Covering a multitude of eras and storylines, the genre, as with any, is done well or is simply bad and too cliché to even bear. So when this reviewer first saw the advertisement of superb actor/director Alan Rickman’s newest indie, “A Little Chaos”, hopes sprung towards ” done well” on his name alone. Taking place in 1682 Paris, the tale of two skillful landscape artists, the King’s head man Andre Le Norte (Matthias Schoenaerts) and lowly but determined, independent-minded Sabine De Barra (Kate Winslet), begins as King Louis XIV (Alan Rickman) has contracted for a new outdoor ballroom to be constructed on the grounds of Versailles.
Entering in with somewhat radical and contrary artistic ideas than was the norm as decreed by Louis, Sabine ultimately gets awarded the task of creating it and sets about making the initial designs even more efficient and stylistically revolutionary. As such, she finds herself not just becoming more and more involved with the job at hand, but also with Le Norte, much to the jealousy of his wife. Thrust into an aristocratic and highfalutin world of royalty unaccustomed to her and her views on life, Sabine must contend with societal pressures as a woman, an unexpected encounter with Louis, learning to find new levels of perseverance within herself, and facing a tragic past of her own, all to bring the final moment about that will win or lose the approval of a King.
Next, my Mind:
Hopes were not completely lost in this effort, but were also not totally realized as well as this reviewer was expecting either. Rickman does have a solid grasp on the era the tale is taking place in, and the visuals presented are quite apropos and contrasting in illustrating Sabine’s humble living vs. the magnificence of the royal palace at Versailles and those associated with the King’s Court. The rest of what is given is solid, but somehow lacked the overall sense of epic-ness that another of this year’s indie period efforts, “Far From The Madding Crowd” attained. And really, it would seem to spawn from the writing more than directing.
Let’s be frank, Rickman, Winslet, and Schoenaerts have all done better material than this, and while the narrative itself was filled with good intentions, the payoff by the end just didn’t seem to hold the same level of satisfaction as did “Crowd”. There are several moments where attention spans may drop away, as some dialogue and interactions between characters seemed just a tad too “surface” as opposed to really having the chance to delve deep into the more dramatic elements that could have been. Maybe a little too formulaic, perhaps? The acting is good, the music score is good, the plot is good–and that was where “A Little Chaos” fell on the scale. Worth a look, yes, but not something that may stick with the viewer afterwards.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
