Review: A ROYAL AFFAIR Transcends Love and the Period Piece
To be frank, A Royal Affair is easily one of the best films I have seen this year, and there is little doubt it will end up in my top five. I say this with such conviction for a few reasons. Firstly, I love period pieces and all of the basic elements are not only gorgeously presented, but enhanced greatly by the layers of political, historical and dramatic truths in the film. Secondly, there is so much more happening in A Royal Affair and it is all balanced with deft direction and style, and lastly the incredible performances from the three protagonists not only add to the drama of the film, but actually go lengths to envision the true historical accounts of 1760's Copenhagen.
English princess Caroline Mathilde (Alicia Vikander) narrates her tale of woe starting with her
marriage to the childishly deranged King Christian VII (award winning Mikkel Følsgaard, in the performance of
the year so far). Caroline is immediately rejected by the king who prefers
whore houses and gallivanting, and while hurt by his actions, she accommodates
herself to a life of relative solitude. This vastly changes however when the
King returns from a tour of Europe with his new physician Johann Struensee (Mads Mikkelsen) in tow. He seems
betrothed to entertain the king, not actually treating him for whatever condition
he has. The Queen soon finds kinship with him based on their mutual ideals and
philosophies, but this soon leads to a clandestine affair. Wielding more power
than a physician should, Johann has the ear of the king and asserts himself
into a new council, spreading his ideals and quickly attracting many enemies. The
outcome of this changes not only their love but Denmark itself forever.
Director Nikolaj Arcel
has created such a sumptuous world to accompany the intricate story. His
attention to detail is impressive, leaving no unresolved elements of the plot
and explaining every characters action. This is a true story, as such he treats
it as an epic, spanning years in Copenhagen and beyond it to further parts of
Europe. The intriguing scandalous affair and the manipulative politics are
woven together seamlessly. This is not just a one-note situation, there is
intense scrutiny on court and council life but even these elements are not
heavy-handed and flow well into each detailed scene.
The luscious scenery and costumes are brought to life by the
incredible cinematography that enhances each key scene and settles down in
others where the plot is more prevalent. The dance hall scene, basically a
staple for period pieces is one such example. Here the cinematography is stunningly
heightened, and without them saying anything, the feelings of Johann towards
Caroline are wonderfully enunciated and do not come across as pretentious or
arranged.
A Royal Affair is
definitely a character piece and despite the elaborate politics and depictions
of royalty, the three protagonists remain core to the film. Johann is a
complete idealist, his intentions are complex and the feelings for him change
as the film progresses. He is torn between what he believes in and what he loves
and the conflict is depicted masterfully by Mikkelsen.
The mad king Christian steals the show, he initially appears
as a comic act, but his bizarre outbursts, antisocial nature and confused
indifference soon become pitying notions as he is used and manipulated by many.
The fine line Følsgaard portrays
between madness and childishness is commendable and the character, although
cruel to Caroline, becomes a tragic figure of paranoia and naivety.
Caroline, the queen herself grows and recedes as the film
progresses. Her actions are understandable based on how she is treated and
throughout there is a feeling of unease, frustration and a strong dream-like
melancholy that permeates throughout her chamber.
A Royal Affair
concerns the affairs of the heart, of the state and of the mind. It is an
incredible epic that contains an exhaustible plot that is nearly perfect in its
execution. I highly recommend this absolute masterwork that at 137 minutes, felt like no time at all.
Thanks to Madman Entertainment,
A Royal Affair is coming to Australian
cinemas June 21, it is currently playing at The Sydney Film Festival don't miss
it!