What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this is a punk-rock version of history. While teens may enjoy the music, the movie's relatively slow pace might end up turning some of them off. For those of us who remember our history, she does indeed get beheaded, but it doesn't take place during the movie. There are a few scenes in which Marie appears naked (shown from the back or with her arms over her chest), but not in a titillating way, and there's some sexual allusion when a doctor asks Louis whether his body is "responsive." A couple of sex scenes show brief skin, the king's mistress is buxom and breathy, and there are a couple of birth scenes. This is French history, so naturally there's champagne and wine. In one scene, drugs are snorted and -- as is becoming all too usual in PG-13 movies -- there's smoking.
- Families can talk about the movie's take on the famous 18th-century queen, presenting her as a raw teenage girl rather than a tyrannical royal. How can you tell that Marie feels isolated in her new court? Why does she get so caught up in shopping and partying? How is her behavior like that of today's teens? How is it different? How would you feel if you were in her position? Is it realistic to expect teenagers to rule a country? How do Marie and Louis XVI come to appreciate each another's limitations and support each another in the face of increasing criticism and -- eventually -- rejection by their subjects? Also, what do you think of the movie's music (which is unusual for a period piece)? Is it jarring or exciting?