I ended up seeing this twice, once on a date with Victor, and then again with my Aunts on Saturday. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. there were a lot of reviews that said things to the tune of... All style and no substance... I disagree. There were many moments of quiet study, of human behavior, isolation, love, separation.
I agree that Sofia may have identitfied with Marie Antoinette at a personal level, but then look at Lost in Translation, and Virgin Suicides. She makes movies about things she knows.
I wouldn't respect her if she made spy movies, or slasher films, she's not a spy or a psycho killer.
She makes movies about isolation, female mystique, growth, transition, unique relationships, adolescence, love, alienation, doubt.
I'm quite possitive that Marie Antoinette was totally disonnected from her position. She was a confused teenager, she was immature, a girl, a virgin, alone. She was thrown into a foreign situation, all she could do was be surrounded by people that treated her like an object. A consumer of elaborate objects. No one knew her. That's exhausting to think about.
Over all I felt overwhelmed with the decadence. I enjoyed watching Kirsten Dunst play, suffer, struggle, adjust. If you enjoy watching filmmakers grow, watch Sofia's new movie.