Sofia Coppola transformsThe Beguiledfrom eager, lurid romp to witheringly elegant fkboy takedown.
Loved it,The Telegraphs Robbie Collintweetedshortly after the films first press screening Wednesday morning.
Coppola finally contrives a female and arguably feminist perspective on this story that Don Siegel didnt.
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It is certainly more subtle, with none of the sexualised fantasy and flashback screens that Siegel had.
Nikola Grozdanovic adds: [The Beguiledis a] gorgeously-shot feminist Civil War fable.
Coppolas best since [Lost in Translation].
Ben Rothstein/Focus Features
Im all giddy here w/ mischief.
Grateful we have her.
Still, the reviews are undoubtedly the best Kidman has received at Cannes this year.
Ben Rothstein/Focus Features
*
The Beguiledopens June 23.
See what critics are saying in the review excerpts below.
Owen Gleiberman (Variety)Sofia Coppola has long been a filmmaker who divides critics and audiences.
Now its pulp with the juice squeezed out of it.
Kaleem Aftab (The Independent)It is Coppolas worst work…
But this film is empty and vacuous with nothing new to say.
Alicia performs a kind of reverse Sleeping Beauty on the Corporal when she wakes him with a kiss.
What is disappointing is that when the material wants to surprise you it simply doesnt.
These are dramatic tropes that have been more exhaustively played out previously than Coppola may have realized.
It lends itself to some wry, well-delivered comic bits, but nothing here leaves a mark.
