Ridicule

Perfectly gorgeous and perfectly nasty.

Brevity is the soul of wit, lingerie and Ridicule, a keen and silky costume drama set circa 1783 in Versailles. [06 Dec 1996, p.03]

What is fascinating about Ridicule is that so much depends on language, and so little is really said.

As written by Remi Waterhouse, who draws on real historical detail here, Ridicule satirizes this world of absurd protocol while it proves that skewering fatuousness and snobbery, however obviously, is never out of style.

Ridicule gently suggests that the culture of sound bites has deep roots.

For those who appreciate movies with a bite, Ridicule shows its teeth early and keeps them razor-sharp throughout.

Rather deliberately paced, and mired in archaic and abstruse puns, the film is perhaps more interesting than enjoyable. Still, Leconte's customary zest and mordant humour are there, lurking behind the claustrophobic production design and free-spirited camerawork.