• Reviews

• All
• Music
• DVDs
• Live
• Cinema
• TV
• Books
• Comic Books
• Video Games

Nov 09, 2012 By John Oursler Web Exclusive

Set amidst the burgeoning enlightenment of the late 18^th century, Nikolaj Arcel’s A Royal Affair tells the familiar tale of Caroline, a woman betrothed for royal marriage to the crown prince of Denmark, Christian VII. Ostensibly a period drama and a character study, the film ultimately uses these devices to tackle issues as timely as progress vis-à-vis the debate over scientific and religious doctrine. Herself a free thinker, Caroline enters a world unwelcoming to her ideas about autonomy and social progress. The royal union she enters does little to satisfy her either emotionally or intellectually. It is not until a free thinking man, Dr. Johann Struensee, joins her husband’s employ that Caroline’s true awakening can begin.

Taken from several accounts of both Caroline’s life and the life of Dr. Struensee, the film parades a narrative structure familiar to many period dramas. What keeps the film fresh and engaging is the way Arcel expertly establishes each of the characters as avatars of a particular historical movement. The forbidden relationship between Caroline and Struensee (played by the fantastic Mads Mikkelsen) becomes more engrossing as the stakes are attached not only to personal happiness but to the grander fight for progress and freedom. Denmark wisely nominated this as their official entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar. In a US election year, the film is as resonant as ever.

Author rating: 7/10