Movie Review - A Royal Affair

A Royal Affair (2012)

Starring Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelson, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, and Trine Dyrholm

Directed by Nikolaj Arcel

***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***

Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at this year's Academy Awards, Denmark's A Royal Affair depicts the true story of Caroline Matilda (played here by Alicia Vikander), a princess in Great Britain, who in 1766 at the age of fifteen leaves behind her family to travel to Denmark to marry Christian VII (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard).  Immediately, Christian's odd mannerisms and likely mental illness cause Caroline to immediately dislike Christian and he certainly feels no affection for her.  Christian is essentially a lame duck, sitting on the throne, but the puppet of his royal court and his demanding mother (Trine Dyrholm).  Some of the king's advisors see potential for imparting their own beliefs into the Danish monarchy and German philosopher and physician Johann Struensee (Mads Mikkelson) is seen as an ideal candidate to help start this "revolution" of sorts because he can act as Christian's doctor while also trying to espouse his at-the-time unimaginable tenets of free speech and rights for all people.

A perfectly acceptable film, A Royal Affair is adequately directed, acted, and written, and while it never really falls flat, it doesn't ever soar.  As the film proceeds, Struensee begins to fall for Caroline and she soon begins to return the affection, earning the film its name and causing the flick to veer slightly into melodramatic territory.  It's understandable why the two begin to fall in love -- Caroline was a very literate woman who was forced to leave that behind upon marrying Christian and Struensee is a very enlightened man with ideas and theories that fascinate her -- but it does become a bit drawn out in its romance.  Scenes where they sneak or kiss or just barely miss being seen by Christian feel like they're coming straight from a dime store romance novel.

Still, A Royal Affair is an intriguing piece of history that proves enjoyable to watch.  A little (or a lot of) trimming in the editing room would have helped, but if an historical drama is what you're in the mood for, you could certainly do worse.

The RyMickey Rating:  C+