Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is a charming story of a French widow with a talent for making gardens look simple and natural. But she's in 1682, where the fashion in gardens is geometric, rigid and designed to show nature under control. She gets a chance to execute someone else's design, at Versailles and does it so originally that the Court of Louis the 14th applauds when they see it. She also makes a secret friendship with the king, who loves flowers. The story is genuinely charming, if fictitious, but the real draw is Alan Rickman directing and acting the part of King Louis. His sonorous voice and portrayal of a king forced to be someone he'd rather not be, are simply wonderful. Every character has one Oscar worthy speech and the screenplay is bright and fresh. This film is visually gorgeous, the interiors and costumes are brilliant and oh, I wish I had those gardens.