Jeanne du Barry, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, is the new film by Mawenn, who portrays King Louis XV's favorite, portrayed by Johnny Depp.
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| Johnny Depp in Jeanne du Barry |
Jeanne du Barry, a project as dreaded as expected (and not always for the right reasons), will be released in theaters on May 17 (and in previews practically everywhere in France starting this evening, May 16), and will open the 76th Cannes Film Festival. Historical drama returning to the sour relationship between King Louis XV and his favorite who lends his name to the film, he had everything to be just a biography in dozens of costumes. However, its distinguishing feature is undoubtedly its casting.
Because the feature film will reunite Mawenn, who is also a director, and Johnny Depp, who has made an incredible recovery following his trial against his former companion Amber Heard. After not appearing on a movie screen for three years, the actor is returning, and he is also planning his next feature behind the camera, Modi, which has a large cast. So, how much is this unusual combination worth, which has already created a stir even before its release? The reviewers (save us, who were inexplicably not invited) were able to find Jeanne du Barry and express their initial impressions.
"With its tragic romanticism, lyricism, and chiseled dialogues that convey a fierce modernity, the film strikes straight to the heart." The Sunday Times
"With Jeanne du Barry, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday evening and is now in theaters, Mawenn succeeds in making a classic film that is also very contemporary and completely inhabited." The Parisienne
"Jeanne du Barry is a complete production." Mawenn's flick exceeds expectations. Its biggest advantage is that it does not smell like dust. Life is in motion. We've arrived. The magazine Le Figaro
“Reinventing herself as a filmmaker, Maïwenn signs a controlled film, combining classic form and modern subject, where Johnny Depp amazes in Louis XV. » Premiere
“Perfectly “maïwennesque”: sometimes clumsy, emphatic, probably too much in empathy with her subject, but the director carries us away and moves us in this celebration of freedom. Beautiful reverence to irreverence. » South West
“A huge business of histrionics in a cloud of powder and wigs, where the filmmaker in the lead role pulls all the coverage to herself. » Liberation
“Maïwenn signs a beautiful historical film which manages to be neither bombastic and backward-looking nor exaggeratedly contemporary. » Time
“Maïwenn reconstructs the extraordinary destiny of Louis XV's favorite, in a sparkling tale where historical realism and fantasy blend. From trifles to gallant parties, the film is playful, faithful to the spirit of the 18th century, touches on things nicely, remains on the surface. This is its strength and its limit. » Telerama
According to these first assessments, Jeanne du Barry is not the disaster predicted by some critics. Mawenn appears to have partially succeeded in her gamble in a daring balancing act, and the modernity of her plot is appreciated by most commentators who have seen the picture. The director's clumsiness is also highlighted, while Johnny Depp's rendition does not appear to have left a lasting impression, despite being praised by critics.
As a reminder, Jeanne du Barry will be released in theaters on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, coinciding with the start of the Cannes Film Festival. As a result, our evaluation is delivered fast with the help of EcranLarge, and you will be able to make your own verdict on this amusing product very soon.