Saoirse Ronan is great. Margot Robbie is great. The promotional material for the film is great. The execution is not. For a movie that’s billed as “female against female,” it’s really a lot of “female’s male-dominated court against female’s male-dominated court.” Maybe that’s the point, but coming in expecting one and thing and getting another was a disappointment. Ronan and Robbie end up underutilized, and the film suffers for it.

Though it’s not rooted in any historical context, the best scene in the movie is the only one that features the two leading women together, and it’s a beautifully shot, emotional conversation between two family members at war. The secrecy, the tension, and the disappointment are all felt and it almost did enough to make the rest of the journey worth it.

What it does well: I really enjoyed the cinematography, not only in the scene mentioned above, but throughout. The rolling hills, the castle interiors, the parties by night, it was a pretty looking film. The costume design was also a high point.

What it could improve on: There are only two or three scenes that are truly memorable for any reason, and in between the film flutters between being historically accurate and not seemingly at will.

Why should you see it? If Mary Queen of Scots were adapted to a TV series or a stage show, it might be worth revisiting, but this adaptation is not worth any investment of time.