When King Louis XIV (played by Alan Rickman, who also directed) commissioned Versailles, numerous gardens were included in the process. Kate Winslet plays an unconventional landscape architect, who is hired to design and complete an unusual outdoor ballroom. Under the guidance of an architect (Matthias Schoenaerts), she struggles with doubters, the politics of court and various rivals. Despite the lavish settings and costumes, the performances are subdued and Rickman has kept a restrained hand on the proceedings. Still, the story is fascinating, the art direction attractive and the result quietly lovely. (Criterion Cinema only)
(3.5 / 5)