Chevalier

Yesterday I finally had the opportunity to see Chevalier, one of my most anticipated movies of the year, and I absolutely loved it!  It tells the true story of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.), the son of a slave and a plantation owner who rose and fell from prominence in 18th century France.  He is brought to Paris as a child by his father to encourage his musical abilities but also as a way for his father to abandon him with the admonition that he must be better than everyone else in order to survive.  He emerges as a champion fencer and brilliant violinist and composer who attracts the patronage of Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton).  He begins writing an opera in pursuit of an appointment as the next conductor of the Paris Opera.  However, a slight to established opera star Marie-Madeleine Guimard (Minnie Driver) and an affair with his leading lady Marie-Josephine de Montalembert (Samara Weaving) cause the aristocracy to turn against him and Marie Antoinette to renounce him.  He realizes that things must change and begins to support the call for revolution espoused by his friend the Duke of Orleans (Alex Fitzalan) at great personal cost.  This is, essentially, a fairly conventional biopic but the story is both compelling and incredibly moving, especially the final act, and I found myself wanting to know more about Joseph Bologne and his music (much of which was lost and is only now being rediscovered).  Harrison gives a passionate performance which highlights both Bologne's confidence (the opening sequence when he challenges Mozart to a violin-off is worth the price of admission alone) and vulnerability (in the scene where he sees his mother for the first time in years he expresses more emotion with just a look than most actors do with pages of dialogue).  Boynton and Weaving are also outstanding.  The costumes and sets are gorgeous (I am a sucker for period dramas) and the music is sublime.  I love it whenever a forgotten historical figure is highlighted so I highly recommend this!