A Royal Affair
Directed by Nikolaj Arcel
Distributed by Magnolia Pictures
It is quite common in costume dramas for there to be a feeling of lifelessness. The actors and filmmakers put the bulk of priority on achieving authenticity, forcing them to fall back on mundane narratives. A Royal Affair, Denmark’s nominee for this year’s Foreign Language Academy Award, feels largely different. That’s not to say it isn’t an accomplished period piece, just that it has a level of energy uncommon for the genre.
The story begins with Caroline Mathilde (Alicia Vikander), a British Royal who is married off to the 18th century King of Denmark, portrayed by Mikkel Følsgaard. Almost immediately the King’s immaturity and selfishness drive her to a place of misery, that only subsides when she meets Johann Struensee (Mads Mikkelsen), the new personal physician to the king.
The relationship between the two eventually erupts into a perilous affair, threatening the lives of both. This plot takes place over the backdrop of an exciting political conflict, in which Struensee uses his position to implement progressive changes to the conservative state. The film’s ability to balance these two strands keeps it thoroughly engaging, though the real tension doesn’t surface until the third act.
Alicia Vikander gives a strong performance, but unfortunately the film’s narrative doesn’t give her the necessary support to make it great. Instead, the real stars of this film are the two male leads, both offering something intriguing despite being vastly different. Mikkelsen, who North American audiences will recognize as the Bond villain of Casino Royale, operates with a clear sense of confidence, apparent in every one of his scenes. Whereas Følsgaard, who takes on a braver role playing the initially unlikable King, develops constantly throughout the film’s running time.
There are a lot of things to be respected about A Royal Affair. For one, it avoids the Hollywood tradition of using British accents for foreign characters, instead using the authentic Danish dialogue. It is also a beautifully shot film, mixing wonderful cinematography and convincing effects. But most importantly, the film dedicates itself to a compelling narrative rather than settling for what is simply sufficient in the dozen other historical period pieces released every year.
