When a good friend recommended I see The Young Victoria, I balked. Vapid
period drivel! Aspirational escapism for teens! My friend shrugged, “Think of
it like a Starbucks muffin.” I pondered this comparison. (I go to Starbucks
for the coffee, not the muffins.) Determined to find out what a “Starbucks
muffin movie” looked like, I decided to see the film. What harm could it do?
I was pleasantly surprised. The story, which follows the life of the young
Queen Victoria (Emily Blunt) and her marriage to Prince Albert, was just what I
craved. Romantic, with stunning visuals (Blunt’s shimmering period dresses make
me want to rush out and buy a corset) the film drew me in. Something about the
way the newly crowned monarch learns to manage her power and independence while
also including love and companionship felt modern and relevant to me.
Sweet, engineered, with some nutritional value, The Young Victoria is probably
very much like a Starbucks muffin– not gourmet, but sometimes it hits the
spot.
January 18th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
I, too, was pleasantly surprised by Young Victoria. The same applies for “Bright Star” by Jane Campion which sheds light on the short, tragic life of the great Romatic poet John Keats and his chaste but passionate relationship with Fanny Brawne, a young fashion plate of the day. It’s a fresh, leisurely take on those times. I’m not sure it has been released in Montreal yet but it’s already available on DVD here in San Francisco.
January 19th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Thanks for the recommendation Stevie. What’s more fun to watch than a “short tragic life” and a “chaste but passionate relationship?”
Will definitely test taste and report back. (Though I’m guessing it’s less like a Starbucks muffin and more like a square of bittersweet chocolate.)