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Vatel (2000)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 32
Fresh: 10
Rotten:22
Average Rating: 4.6/10
Consensus: Visually sumptuous, but unengaging.
Theatrical Release:Dec 25, 2000 Limited
Synopsis: Set in 1671 France under the decadent reign of Louis XIV, VATEL charts the events of a three-day feast in an impoverished western province. In an effort to impress the gilded king and then ask him... Set in 1671 France under the decadent reign of Louis XIV, VATEL charts the events of a three-day feast in an impoverished western province. In an effort to impress the gilded king and then ask him for financial support, Prince de Condé (Julian Glover) invites Louis XIV (Julian Sands) to his country chateau for a weekend of courtly merriment. Gerard Depardieu stars as Vatel, the chef and entertainment planner, who must succeed in presenting the most lavishly organized occasion the king has ever witnessed. Vatel masterminds the sumptuous details of the weekend with gusto and charming bravura. The chateau of de Condé is transformed into a world of delights, enthralling the king, his court, and especially the king's favorite lady-in-waiting, Anne de Montausier (Uma Thurman). But when the kindly Vatel wins Anne's fancy, he is in danger of angering the opulent and lustful king and his villainous cohort Marquis de Lauzan (Tim Roth). Based on a true story, with a screenplay cowritten by Tom Stoppard and Jeanne LaBrune, this decadent period piece from director Roland Joffé is a fine visual confection. The film features stunning production and costume design that captures the opulence of France's most legendary court and most celebrated king. [More]
Starring: Gérard Depardieu, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Julian Sands
Starring: Gérard Depardieu, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Julian Sands, Arielle Dombasle, Julian Glover, Marine Delterme, Timothy Spall
Director: Roland Joffé
Director: Roland Joffé
Screenwriter: Tom Stoppard, Jeanne Labrune
Producer: Alain Goldman
Composer: Ennio Morricone
Studio: Miramax Films
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Release:
Aug 7, 2001
Reviews for Vatel
Period costume dramas are always expected to offer opulent pageantry, but in the case of Vatel, that's all there is.
The richest and most intriguing portrait of period piece duty and subjugated happiness since The Remains of the Day.
It lacks an understanding of the harmonies and contrasts in the very society he is trying to expose to ridicule.
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