'Jeanne Du Barry': Reactions From Cannes Premiere Call Film “Mounted… But Lacking”
Johnny Depp in Jeanne du Barry. Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival.
One of the more controversial programming picks, Jeanne du Barry, opened the Cannes Film Festival earlier today to mixed—but generally negative— reactions following its world premiere screening. The film stars Johnny Depp as French King Louis XV opposite (director) Maïwenn as Jeanne Bécu, the illegitimate daughter of a seamstress who went on to become Louis’ final official mistress.
The film marks Depp’s official return to acting after he was forced to take an extended hiatus due to controversies regarding his trial last year, where he faced ex-wife Amber Heard in a defamation suit. This is director Maïwenn’s sixth feature, coming off her 2020 film DNA, which told the story of a woman reeling from the loss of her grandfather.
Jeanne du Barry is now playing in French theaters. No US/worldwide release date has been announced thus far. See initial reactions to the film below:
Matt Neglia of NextBestPicture praised the film as a period romance but highlighted the lack of chemistry between its two leads.
Ema Sasic (also of NextBestPicture) described the film as “an epic rags to riches story of royal proportions…”
Find more reactions to Jeanne du Barry here.
