Mary Queen of Scots (2018)

[baumer]

Discuss

[filmlover]

Great production values but bland storytelling, even if it deserves points for trying something different with the genre between the diverse and an anachronistically modern view on social issues). Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie  (even though she disappears for lengthy periods of time) are very good, and their one scene together is definitely the highlight of the film, but they can’t save the film from its various other flaws (David Tennant’s goofy performance in particular seems to have stepped out of a completely different movie). C+

[Cap]

I quite enjoyed the inclusive casting -- Gemma Chan deserves to be in EVERYTHING -- and Scotland is always great for some Scenery Porn.  Both Ronan and Robbie are in top form, and lovely to watch.  Everything else is a standard period/historical piece.  There is also a queer subplot that started out interesting, only to turn into some Hollywood Gay Trauma.  I was not excited, at all.

 

If you're gonna watch it, I would wait until it's on Netflix.  Do it as a double feature of Mary Queen of Scots / The Outlaw King.

[Avatree]

saw this yesterday and nearly fell asleep. really dull, should have done it as a 6 part miniseries where they can flesh out events and characters. Theres one good scene, where

the gay dude gets stabbed

which was properly nasty and gave me a real horrible feeling, so cinematically that worked. not much else did.

 

Go see the favourite instead. (and skip outlaw king)