Corsage

Life begins at forty, or so they say, so much living to enjoy from that big day, you can starve yourself to death, injecting drugs, to reduce stress, seduce your cousin, to find he doesn't want to play. As an Empress, you have everything you want, the world outside wants to see what you have to flaunt, but you like to use a double, can't be bothered with the trouble, and you've cut your hair, to ridicule and taunt. It's been observed, that you've become, a little vain, look for compliments, to take away the pain, your husband's disengaged, you often cause him some outrage, you have disdain that you suck in, and then constrain.

Great performance from the wonderful Vicky Krieps but if you're not a huge fan of the character or the era you may find it a little less engaging than you might like.

This film was beautifully shot and I enjoyed the aesthetics. The lead actress was entertaining, and sometimes spellbinding. But that's about it.

It can't even be described as a 'slow burn' as that usually includes some ups and downs, but this really didn't. It was such a steady storytelling that I never felt any highs or lows.

I was very confused as this was supposed to be 19th century but had elements of 20th century. That distracted me as I didn't get a sense of place or time to try and plug into the story.

Overall a film that will probably appeal to those more intelligent/informed/interested than I am.

A beautifully shot and elegiac film that explores the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria as she navigates the expectations of her culture and her own desires. Vicky Krieps gives a layered and nuanced performance as Elisabeth, and the metaphor of the corset effectively symbolizes the constrictions of her privileged but powerless life. While the film is unabashedly fictionalized, it effectively captures the internal struggles of a woman who is constantly told what to do and who grapples with the fear of losing her beauty and power as she ages. The sumptuous settings and contemporary songs add to the overall atmosphere of the film, which is both poignant and thought-provoking. Overall, "Corsage" is a worthwhile watch for fans of historical dramas and those interested in exploring themes of beauty, power, and the constraints of societal expectations.

Corsage is a tale of a woman now and then a prisoner of fame a prisoner of formalities. Torturing depression that an empress can't escape, corsage captures the tragic reality of human lives that's glazed with grandeurs erupting from time to time, Vicky's performance is absolutely devoted and sharp along with the equally excellent work by the rest of the cast. The cinematography captures the simplicity and beauty of every moment very well. Great use of audio enriching each scene with melody. Corsage is a slow developing story about life that has a bittersweetness that would last for a good amount of time.

The danger with fictional accounts of the lives of real people, is that it is frequently all to easy to poke holes in the plot. This is one such film that takes just a little too much creative licence with the the life of the Empress Elisabeth (Vicky Krieps). Wife of the famed Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef (Florian Teichtmeister), this film follows a supposed year in the life of this curious historical figure who, having suffered a family tragedy and having a rather estranged emotional relationship with her husband, spends much of her life obsessing with her weight and seeking solitude. Krieps is on good form, she creates a persona for her character that is effective to watch, but the mixture of modern and period scenarios (old buildings with modern fire doors; a cross-channel ferry!) seems anachronistic - to what end? The buildings in which she and her family inhabit have none of the opulence and grandeur of the Hofburg or Prague Castle, indeed the British home of her horse-master "Bay" (Colin Morgan) looks little better that a ramshackle ruin - and this is incongruous with the way we know she lived her life. Reclusive, yes, but still in splendour. It is also a particularly unremarkable year in her life to have chosen to illustrate. Not the previous ones where turbulence within the Imperial family reigned, not the famed "Mayerling" period which was ultimately held responsible for the final decline of this lady. There is also an highly speculative portrayal of her relationship with Bavaria's equally famous King Ludwig II (Manuel Rubey). The denouement itself is presented here in a rather too bizarre fashion that rather topped off this interesting but frankly flat and pace-less drama that offers us a glimpse of this intriguing woman, but little more of substance. Pity.