SummaryMadame Sabine De Barra (Kate Winslet) is an unlikely candidate for landscape architect of the still‐to-be-completed Palace of Versailles. She has little time for the classical, ordered designs of the man who hires her, the famous architect Le Nôtre (Matthias Schoenaerts). However, as she works on her creation, she finds herself drawn to ...
SummaryMadame Sabine De Barra (Kate Winslet) is an unlikely candidate for landscape architect of the still‐to-be-completed Palace of Versailles. She has little time for the classical, ordered designs of the man who hires her, the famous architect Le Nôtre (Matthias Schoenaerts). However, as she works on her creation, she finds herself drawn to ...
If one can put that historic reality aside — and Rickman and fellow screenwriters Jeremy Brock and Alison Deegan make that possible via their straightforward script — A Little Chaos becomes a highly enjoyable journey to a rarified world 300-plus years ago.
A guide to the 17th century royal gardening!
I am little surprised with the film, because I was not expecting this storyline. I mean a good one. You know usually periodic film means there's always romance or war, but this one proved there are more topics to revolve and to reveal to the viewers. Yes, this one mainly talks about the engineering, especially gardening. Of course, romance was a part of it, but I loved the blend between these two subjects. One of the best periodic drama I've seen and all the stars were brilliant, particularly Kate Winslet was the best. Matthias Schoenaerts and Alan Rickman was not bad either.
The tale begins with a widowed woman preparing for an interview to get the newly proposed royal gardening project. After some obstacles she gets it, but while the work is in progress, she faces some ups and downs. Besides a feeling for her boss grows intensively and also after an unexpected encounter with a royal member, things around her begins to change. So the deadline is nearing, but lots of work to complete, how she manages all the issues, including deciding about her new romance is what the rest of the narration reveals.
This is not those colourful costumed female oriented films. This is about the profession at the top and the married life issues on a small scale. My first appreciation goes to the writers and then the director. But the actors did their part as I mentioned earlier to make it happen. I would have said it is a fine family film, but the film had matured contents, so it is a fine film for the grown-ups. I definitely recommend it.
8/10
A pleasurable study in stage settings, extremely thoughtful dialog, intense expressions and postures ...
The main characters present us with understanding dramatic resolutions in the experiences of life...
The production overall is amusing entertainment for seniors, movie buffs and new comers. ...
Appropriately hunky but neutered of the brute sexuality he exhibited in Bullhead and Rust and Bone, Schoenaerts and his lack of bodice-busting tension with Winslet mirrors the film's transparent, often anachronistic inauthenticity.
Some intriguing dialogue, and a closet full of fantastic frocks, can’t help an impressive ensemble cast save A Little Chaos from being a lackadaisical picture, far removed from anything remotely exciting as chaos.
When King Louis XIV (played by Alan Rickman, who also directed) commissioned Versailles, numerous gardens were included in the process. Kate Winslet plays an unconventional landscape architect, who is hired to design and complete an unusual outdoor ballroom. Under the guidance of an architect (Matthias Schoenaerts), she struggles with doubters, the politics of court and various rivals. Despite the lavish settings and costumes, the performances are subdued and Rickman has kept a restrained hand on the proceedings. Still, the story is fascinating, the art direction attractive and the result quietly lovely
Initially A Little Chaos bears comparison to a new and unused jewellery box in that it is pretty but empty. As things progress, however, one’s interest is stimulated by a couple of well-played scenes and a dedicated performance from Kate Winslet. She can do a role like this as if it was a walk in the park, or as is the case here, a walk in the garden. Her dialogues with Alan Rickman in particular have a real spark and are quite hypnotic to behold, successfully drawing one into what has hither to been a rather unengaging period piece. The film is generally overly talky rather than literate and the period setting is an unnecessary expense even if the costumes are beautiful in themselves. This is a tale that could easily have been told in a modern setting. At its heart it is basically a romance between Winslet and Matthias Schoenerts who is, unfortunately, not seen to best advantage here costumed and ****. He seems uncomfortable in the period setting and his performance lacks the dimension he brought to his role in ‘Suite Francaise’. On the other hand Alan Rickman, as the sun king Louis X1V, is a better actor here than he is a director. Scenes are often lengthy and over indulgent and the film seems to have ambitions above, what is essentially, a small romantic storyline. Supporting performers add colour, although Stanley Tucci is in danger of being typecast as campy and effeminate. Here, as the King’s bi-sexual brother, he makes meals out of witty throwaways. Thankfully, he can be seen at the moment to better advantage in TV’s ‘Fortitude’. Overall the film is disappointing rather than bad, but does afford some pleasures for anyone seeking out fairly light and undemanding entertainment.
A LITTLE CHAOS is pure fiction and one wonders, why was this film made exactly? Utterly pointless, but very engaging. You leave confused by the whole work. One thing you can't deny, Kate Winslet is perfection and director Alan Rickman includes two masterful scenes that show the humanity beneath all the pomp and circumstance of the French court. So I guess... see it but don't expect much.