A Little Chaos starring Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman is a safe period piece that shows off stars’ talents

REVIEW: Any detectable chaos is indeed very small in this polished period drama directed by respected British actor Alan Rickman AKA Severus Snape.

A Little Chaos (M)

Director : Alan Rickman (The Winter Guest)

Starring : Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Matthias Schoenaerts, Jennifer Ehle, Stanley Tucci.

Rating : ***

When everything goes according to plants

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Any detectable chaos is indeed very small in this polished period drama directed by respected British actor Alan Rickman (known to most as the bloke forever glaring from under a black wig during his long tour of duty as Harry Potter’s Severus Snape).

The year is 1692, and a minor horticultural revolution is about to take hold in the royal gardens of Versailles.

Intriguing plot ... Kate Winslet in A Little Chaos.

A determined and skilled woman of the earth named Sabine De Barra (Kate Winslet) scores a job with King Louis XIV’s chief landscaper, Andre Le Notre (Matthias Schoenaerts).

After an uneasy start, the pair proceed to collaborate on a beautiful transformation of a prized corner of the palace gardens.

Speaking of uneasy, it’s not just the flowers that are poised to blossom as Sabine and Andre spend an increasing amount of time together.

Period piece ... Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman on set.

Andre is very much a married man, while the widowed Sabine is alternately haunted and motivated by the painful memory of a child she lost some years ago.

While we wait to see if Sabine and Andre will ultimately be shrubbin’ each other up the right way, Rickman pulls the camera back to take in a little of the wider palace intrigue that swept through the court of King Louis XIV in this era.

Accomplished actor ... Alan Rickman in A Little Chaos.

Rickman also plays the role of King Louis, and judiciously injects himself into A Little Chaos whenever it feels as if the film is become a little too set in its ways.

With a generous running time of almost two hours, Rickman also has the time to indulge a strong support cast (including Jennifer Ehle, Helen McCrory and the ever-dependable Stanley Tucci) with a few scenes to make their very own.

While hardly the stuff of screen sensation, this is safe, yet pleasingly assured filmmaking that delivers on the promise of all talent involved.

As always, Winslet carries proceedings both meaningfully and effortlessly.

Originally published as A Little Chaos starring Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman is a safe period piece that shows off stars’ talents