Johnny Depp is back as he graced the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
On Tuesday he was there for the world premiere of his French language film Jeanne Du Barry.
He plays King Louis XV in the project. The film was about French king Louis XV’s scandalous relationship with a lowly courtesan,
Depp was on the big screen for the first time in around three years. The film was also released in France on the same day.
Plot
Depp’s new film revolves around the king’s tumultuous relationship with his final mistress Jeanne du Barry, played by Maïwenn, a commoner and courtesan
Their admission to the palace of Versailles causes an almighty scandal, as you can imagine, in a class obsessed high society, in France.
Depp signed up for the role of Louis XV before the start of a legal battle with his ex-wife Amber Heard, which become global news.
Following the brutal court case he found himself axed from Harry Potter spin-off “Fantastic Beasts” following Heard’s abuse allegations at Depp.
However, the US star long beloved of the French has secured a record $20 million deal to remain the face of Dior fragrance, according to Variety last week.
Johnny is also set to direct Al Pacino in a biopic of artist Amedeo Modigliani later this year.
Critics response
The Daily Telegraph’s critic wrote: ‘True, his French is not too shabby, but his regal gravitas is nonexistent, and he only truly looks at home in the role during occasional bouts of clowning, which hardly help sell his casting as an inspired choice.
‘Depp is hardly the first Hollywood outcast to find work in Europe, but it would be a stretch to say this feels like the first spark of a glorious comeback.’
The Evening Standard’s Jo-Ann Titmarsh wrote that it was ‘great to see Depp in subtle and quiet mode — more Colonel Joll of and less Jack Sparrow — and in French to boot.’
Peter Debruge of Variety wrote: ‘For his part, Depp delivers his lines in well-turned French, wearing fine powder and a stiff white wig, and yet he seems strangely uncomfortable in the role — adequate but not especially engaged.
‘Depp’s the kind of player who delivers practically every performance with a wink, so it’s odd that even when his Louis is actually supposed to be winking (at Jeanne), the sparkle isn’t there.’
The Hollywood Reporter critic Jordan Mintzer said Johnny’s casting ‘offers a few early thrills and then mostly yawns, with Depp dishing out what feels like a total of a dozen lines in respectable French, while otherwise remaining mute.’
Peter Bradshaw, in the Guardian, gave the film a three star review and wrote: Jeanne du Barry review – Cannes kicks off with Johnny Depp’s purring and peculiar royal dandy. Louis XV’s infatuation with a sexy, smart courtesan played by Maïwenn – who also writes and directs – is an entertaining spectacle but preening Depp’s king overshadows her story.
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