Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Ben Affleck, Jodie Comer
Running Time: 153 minutes
Synopsis: In France of the late 1300's, Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) and Jacques le Gris (Adam Driver) are warriors serving the King through the powerful Count Pierre d'Alençon (Ben Affleck). After Jean saves Jacques' life in battle, their paths diverge and their friendship suffers. Desperate for an heir, Jean marries Marguerite (Jodie Comer), the daughter of a traitor, and continues to lead men into battle. The womanizing Jacques turns to politics and becomes Pierre's confidant, reaping land and title rewards at Jean's expense. Jacques than falls in love with Marguerite, setting up an epic duel to the death between the two men.
What Works Well: Based on actual events, the film is structured into three chapters recounting the same events from the perspective of Jean, then Jacques, then Marguerite. The he said, he said, she said sequencing gels into a powerful drama of personal rivalry culminating in a disputed rape. Themes of friendship, betrayal, honour, and gender roles provide an undercurrent to broader narratives of politics and war, director Ridley focusing more on people than strategy. The grey and muddy aesthetics capture a medieval France dominated by landlords, warriors, and imposing castles providing a backdrop for short but effective displays of battlefield brutality.
What Does Not Work As Well: The differences between the three versions are often subtle, and sometimes non-existent, resulting in tedious repetition and a bloated running time. While the performances are uniformly adequate, it is jarring to find Damon, Driver, and Affleck, all strongly associated with defining their current cinematic era, congregating in the medieval muck.
Key Quote:
Jean de Carrouges: God will not punish those who tell the truth.
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