+ Best Period Movie of the Year
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| The three principals front the poster with the characteristic, unusual, turquoise title for Nikolaj Arcel's A Royal Affair |
In the late 18th century, mad King Christian VII of Denmark gets a new physician, Johann Struensee, who finds a partner in the queen, who shares his enlightenment ideals, which he succeeds in implementing as laws through the easily manipulated king.
A Royal Affair is a really handsome epic costume drama-romance. The images, - photography by Rasmus Videbæk (Noi the Albino (2003)), - locations, costumes, - by Manon Rasmussen (Melancholia (2011)), - all good work. Aesthetically Affair blends Marie Antoinette (2006) and Amadeus (1984) with Danish landscapes, (and less pomposity than those two films as well, it must be admitted.)
The madness is refreshing in the context of the often somewhat inhibited wig-drama, and it somehow makes the whole menagerie very tangible.
Good acting all the way through in the star cast, and particularly the two leading men impress:
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| Mads Mikkelsen does some soul-searching as doctor Struensee in Nikolaj Arcel's A Royal Affair |
Mads Mikkelsen (The Hunt (2012)) as the progressive doctor and Mikkel Boe Følsgaard (Arvingerne (2014), TV-series) as the problematic king are very good. Alicia Vikander (Anna Karenina (2012)) as the sweet, tragically smitten queen emotes well and has a steaming romance with Mikkelsen but unfortunately speaks all of her lines with thick Swedish accent (she's supposed to be British) and a throat-ish, raspy voice that's distracting.
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| Mads Mikkelsen and the lovely Alicia Vikander in Nikolaj Arcel's A Royal Affair |
The film is a little long (running 137 minutes), but never bores. It is a true story so good that you have to see more. The historically- and/or politically interested will especially appreciate Affair. The score is a little stiff and old-fashioned, and this adds to the fact that the really grand emotions fail to appear in most audiences to this film.
Still, A Royal Affair is a very rare and welcome treat that most will greatly enjoy.
It is co-written and directed by Nikolaj Arcel (King's Game (2004)), who has written the script for the coming sequel about police inspector Carl Mørck titled Fasandræberne (2014, The Pheasant Killers).
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Budget: 8.4 mil. $
Box office: 7.5 mil. $
= Flop
What do you think of A Royal Affair?
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