A working-class woman charms King Louis XV, becoming his last official mistress.
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“Jeanne du Barry” follows Jeanne Vaubernier (Maïwenn), a working-class woman determined to climb the social ladder, using her charms to escape her impoverished life. Her lover, the Comte du Barry (Melvil Poupaud), wishes to present her to King Louis XV (Johnny Depp) and orchestrates a meeting through the influential Duke of Richelieu (Pierre Richard). The encounter goes far beyond his expectations for it was love at first sight for the King and Jeanne. Through this ravishing courtesan, the king rediscovers his appetite for life and feels he can no longer live without her. Making Jeanne his last official mistress, scandal erupts as no one at Court will accept a girl from the streets into their rarified world.
"Jeanne du Barry is a French period drama, directed and starring Maïwenn (known for The Fifth Element), about the courtesan and the last official mistress of King Louis XV (Johnny Depp) of . The film chronicles her life from her childhood and formative years as a servant's daughter, to her rise in French society through sex, alliances, and strategic marriages. Although well-crafted, it is a very conventional drama that, in its making, invites not very favorable comparisons with Barry Lyndon. While Kubrick's classic manages to be a very subtle satire, Maïwenn's film takes itself too seriously. This, considering its representation of the female gender and the backgrounds of its two main stars, not only does not help but invites questioning the purpose of telling this story, with so little hope for its protagonist. You will enjoy it if you like period dramas with sumptuous costumes, or if you are an avid follower of Johnny Depp."