Kirsten Dunst really wants to score.
The actress took up the title character, an Archduchess of Austria turned French royalty, in Sophia Coppola's new film "Marie Antoinette."
Much of the first half of the film finds the 14-year-old newlywed on a mission to bed her own prude husband, the future king of France (Jason Schwartzman). Having not yet sealed their marriage contract with a little "grrr," her place as the next queen is uncertain.
Not only must she adjust to a strange new life in France - where even getting dressed in the morning is a public affair - she has to navigate her way through a sort of 18th century "Mean Girls" society where all eyes are focused on Antoinette, waiting for her to pop out a male heir - pronto!
Like the '80s "girl power" font the film advertising suggests, Antoinette starts off as the outsider-turned-insider who begins shaking up the status quo by doing semi-rebellious things like clapping after a theater performance against custom or sneaking off to masked balls to flirt with men.
But, with some disappointment, the movie's progression is inconsistent with this initial attitude - possibly due to the actual history involved. Rather than changing the social order, Antoinette becomes absorbed in it.
She spends money on clothes, gambling and landscaping without much consideration. The people angrily tag her as Queen of Debt.
But along the way, there sure is plenty of eye candy to be found.
Sophia Coppola, who also directed other notable artistic films like "The Virgin Suicides," which also featured Dunst, has a way with detail (see: hidden pink Converse amongst the queen's shoes) that makes every scene look as yummy as the never-ending desserts shown throughout the film.
Count on "Marie Antoinette" to snag a few nominations, if not awards, for its art direction and costume design.
Still, much like Dunst herself, the movie is quite a tease.
Just as audiences will only catch a glimpse of her butt here, a flash of nipple there, the big payoff remains just out of reach and we never quite get to the action.
And if you are hoping for some great resolution at the end, well ... maybe you can petition for an extended version DVD.
Until then, don't wait for our heroine's pretty little neck to meet the guillotine just yet.
Reach the reporter at Michael.Chichester@asu.edu.
