Very disappointing...

Good concept, poorly executed.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

THIS MOVIE HAS THE INCREDIBLE MERIT OF PRESENTING A PRACTICALLY DELETED REALITY OF THE OFFICIAL HISTORY OF DENMARK. ITS PROTAGONIST, JOHANN FRIEDRICH STRUENSEE, IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TO THE FREEDOM OF THE MANKIND... THAT RESULTS VERY INDIGESTIBLE TO OFFICIAL HISTORIANS. THIS FILM BRINGS BACK SOMETHING THAT LOOKED LOST IN THE CURRENT CINEMA: DEPTH, MORAL RELEVANCE, PLASTIC BEAUTY, SINCERE EMOTION, GREAT INTERPRETATION, EXCELLENT DIALOGUES. THE THEME OF FREEDOM OF THOUGHT HAS BEEN FEW TIMES TOUCHED BY CINEMA (I REMEMBER "WITCH" IN 1920, "INHERIT THE WIND" IN 1959, "THE PHARAO" IN 1966), BUT AS IN THIS MOVIE, NEVER. EQUALLY "A ROYAL AFFAIR" (TITLE THAT HIDES THE TRUE SENSE OF THE ARGUMENT) SHOWS EMPATHY TOWARDS THE OPPRESSED PEOPLE, TOWARDS THE IDEALS THAT CAME IN THE FRENCH REVOLUTION, AND DENOUNCES THE DARK COMPLOTES OF THE EUROPEAN NOBILITY AND THE CHURCH. THIS IS THE DENIED HISTORY, THIS IS A WORK OF ART THAT OBEYS WONDERFULLY THE GREEK IDEAL OF THE DEEP LINK OF BEAUTY AND INTELLIGENCE. "A ROYAL AFFAIR", DESPITE THE TITLE, IS A GIFT FOR THE MIND AND THE HEART.

I found the story itself rather intriguing and the fact that it is based on real events makes the movie even more worth seeing. I assure you won't be bored watching this, lots of things happened during the relatively short period of time at the Danish court that this movie pictures. The characters are believable and you get a deeper understanding for the complex relationships between them. The actors are all very skilled and I can feel how kings and queens back then where only just people, looking for love and a meaningful life. This is unlike many other period dramas, where the dialogue tend to be too formal and characters archetypal. This is not the case with this film. I truly enjoyed it.

A Royal Affair was a prestigious costume drama that works as a political drama as well as a tale of forbidden love and with its director Nikolaj Arcel and star Alicia Vikander becoming successful afterwards.Caroline Matilda of Great Britain (Vikander) is a British Princess who was betrothed to the insane King of Denmark, Christian VII (Mikkel Følsgaard) a man who acts like a child and has an unmanageable temper. Even worst Denmark was the backwater of Europe, a country that still practice serfdom and ruled by a conservative group of elites. However, Caroline and Denmark's fortunes improve when Johann Friedrich Struensee (Mads Mikkelsen), a man of the Enlightenment, is hired to be King's physician and using his influence sets out to reform Denmark and make the nation into a beacon for the rest of Europe.A Royal Affair is a lavish looking production, having fantastic costumes and settings, being filmed on location in Copenhagen. The role of Caroline was part of a double whammy for Vikander who became know to an international audience (the other being Anna Karenina) and she was perfectly regal as in the dresses and elaborate hairstyles whilst Mikkelsen as Johann had a more man of the people look. Despite the pretty facade Arcel does contrasts the well-kept palaces of the elites to the streets and fields where the common folk live, filled with mud, rats and other nasties and peasants in field are tied to the land and tried as property by the aristocracy. This fuels Caroline and Johann's ideology.Caroline and Johann are drawn together because of their minds, being intellectuals and reading subversive literature, mainly the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. They are the ones who take over Christian's reign, creating a shadow government before seizing power for themselves. All the political manoeuvring makes A Royal Affair into a less violence version of Game of Thrones. The relationship between the trio is complex, Christian sees Johann almost as a father figure and the only person who can calm the king down whilst Caroline has nothing but loathing for her husband. One of the most powerful moments is when Johann tells Caroline she has to sleep with Christian so they can keep up the charade - an action that clearly causes both of them emotional pain.Although Caroline sets up the film with her letters and voice-over and being the one who opens the film it was Johann and his actions that the actual centre of the film. He is the one who has to befriend the king, be the one who uses the king, has an affair and essentially becomes the Prime Minister. He was the anchor of the film.A Royal Affair is a lavish production and fantastically acted, especially from Mikkelsen and Vikander and it detailed look in Denmark's history. It is certainly a treat for people who like The Duchess and Anna Karenina, touching on a similar subject manner of political marriages, social status and reform.

There really is something rotten in the state of Denmark, No, it's not Von Trier's latest in-joke art-fest. Or Reffin's foray into the world of Hollywood pot-boiler. It's something Danish born, bred, and branded.Nicolaj Arcal's A Royal Affair is essentially based on the true story of young English Princesses doomed marriage to an eccentric King in 18th Century Denmark. So far, so Downton-Dogme. Ineed this is a film I went into with a certain trepidation. The poster is ghastly - resembling, for all the world, a visualisation of a Barabara Cartland novel - it screams costumer-drama tweeness and historical romance schmaltz. Secondly, how interesting could a portrait of 18th Century Danish Royalty be to a Brit proto-Republican? The answer is very. Yes, this is a period-drama. Yes, there is a "forbidden-love" romance. However, there is so much more. The drama and romance are framing devices to big ideas and big themes. Essentially, this is a portrait of enlightenment thinking versus the feudal establishment. Church, state and the nobility pitching itself against writers, doctors and free-thinking women. Denmark is portrayed as the vanguard of European progressive politics. Voltaire would have been (actually he was) proud.As a piece of cinema it is terrific. Beautifully shot, it evokes Kubrik's Barry Lyndon at times but actually has a heart and soul. The performances are universally excellent (Mads Mikkelson following up his jaw-dropping role in The Hunt and who is rapidly becoming my favourite screen presence). Most importantly it is bursting with ideas and imagination. Do yourself a favour and get a proper history lesson.