Coco Before Chanel [DVD]

A very smart and largely accurate telling of Chanel's start in life. Events are concertina-ed and simplified a little but the basic elements are well told and the fascinating contradictions of her character cleverly revealed. Audrey Tautou is fantastic and Benoit Poelvoorde brings astonishing charm and depth to playboy Etienne Balsam. Alessandro Nivola is too nice and not sexy enough to make Boy Capel irresistible so the key love story does not hit the mark but it looks great and has a very nice Desplat score for good measure.

With a couple of possible exceptions, Audrey Tautou (Amelie) being one of them, the names of other actors in this movie may be meaningless unless you are a follower of French cinema. But that is of little consequence as they all do a splendid job in this lush, beautifully filmed costume drama. There have been other biopics on film of `Coco' Chanel and many, many books on her life and times. The version being reviewed here however is unique, in that we have a French studio with a French production team putting together the story of arguably one of the most well known women ever born, let alone a French woman! The producers could have a vested interest! The soundtrack has to be in French of course, but the English subtitling is good and no problem following the film should be encountered here.Gabrielle Chanel was born in the later years of the nineteenth century and together with her sister was placed at a young age into an orphanage by her father who then vanished, never to be seen again. The sisters fortunately survived this humble, unhappy start in their young lives. How this came about and how they went on to have long and successful lives is wonderfully depicted in this superb film entertainment. I won't spoil it for the prospective viewer by giving too much of the story away here! But there is little not to like about this movie. The storyline is accurate, the period costuming just about perfect, and the screenplay above criticism. The cast members are very well chosen - especially the lead role played by Audrey Tatou who bears an uncanny likeness to the real `Coco' Chanel. The colour photography too, both interior and exterior, is marvellous. There could have been related a bit more 'after', and a little less 'before' Chanel during the telling of the story - for example there is little mention of Coco's perfumes - especially No.5 - a number she often mentoned was her favourite figure! But given these and other omissions, the movie is no less a joy to savour. If this kind of film is to your liking, you will certainly like this one! By way of a bonus there is also a decent selection of extras on the DVD, including a commentary by the Director (a woman incidentally, Anna Fontaine), and some lengthy footage of the filming. Enjoy!

Great movie I recommend

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel was a free spirit who found a way of building up a fortune by her own means. The name of Chanel evoques glamour, elegance and luxury, Gabrielle's youth though was far from glamorous. Abandonned by her father she stayed in an orphanage until she was eighteen and found a job in a taylor shop. Anne Fontaine's movie mainly focuses on the early years of Gabrielle's journey towards stardom, where she tries herself at singing with one idea in mind becoming rich ,before moving into fashion. Audrey Tatou is the perfect match for Coco, she inhabits the role as the true Mademoiselle Chanel, and gives live to an independent woman, who liberated women's body by throwing away corsets. Her mantra was "simplicity is the key note to true elegance". She openend her first shop in 1913 and established herself with the help of Arthur Capel, Boy, who believed in her talent. They embarked on an short lived love affair which ended up tragically by Boy's death in car crash in 1919, Coco remained a free woman until her death in 1971. The movie echoes the amazing journey of an ambitious woman at a time where they could hardly decide anything about their life and finishes with the parade of models dressed in gorgeous Chanel outfits.

It may be a subject that will not automatically appeal to many. However, this movie is certainly worth watching.Audrey Tautou, complete with all the mannerisms and dark looks of Coco Chanel, plays a magnificent role. We start of at the miserable beginning of Gabrielle Chanel's life, in an orphanage. It quickly becomes clear that this is not the story about some high-society woman who got bored and decided to make clothes in a style that was unheard of at that time, even for people who don't know anything about the life of Coco Chanel. We see her, slowly but surely, clawing her way up in society, using her charm and wit, but most of all: her outspokenness, always telling what she thinks.Cinematographically, this film is outstanding too. Throughout the film, certain elements of clothing (black and white patterns, stripes, men's shirts) are shown through an unclear lens, to point out that even the most early views of Coco on fashion were incorporated in her style later.This film is not just a story about Coco's success, it's also about her struggle to fit in in a society that differed so much from her own opinions, about her losses and heartaches. All in all, we get a complete picture of the icon that is still loved and admired today.