Alan Rickman has been as popular than ever in recent years thanks to his role as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films. While I doubt Rickman will ever have an issue getting work, it is nice to see him slide behind the camera. The upcoming drama A LITTLE CHAOS marks Rickman’s second directorial effort and his first in 17 years.
The film is set during the reign of King Louis XIV, played by Rickman himself, and the building of the gardens at the Palace of Versailles. He employs a female landscape designer, played by Kate Winslet, who develops a romance with André Le Nôtre (Matthias Schoenaerts). The film is lush and solidly directed. The trailer feels a bit on the nose, but it doesn’t look bad.
If anything, it seems like the kind of role that would have been unique and exciting for Winslet a decade ago but now feels like something she has already done several times over. Don’t get me wrong, the cast here is great with Stanley Tucci as an over-the-top Duke, but doesn’t Tucci always play over-the-top these days? A LITTLE CHAOS just feels by the numbers when it should be a lot more exciting.
A LITTLE CHAOS opens in domestic release on March 27, 2015.