Chéri (2009)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Stephen Frears

Writers:

Christopher Hampton (written by)
Colette (novels)

Release Date:

8 huhtikuu 2009 (Belgium)

Genre:

Romance

Tagline:

In a game of seduction, never fall in love.

Plot:

The son of a courtesan retreats into a fantasy world after being forced to end his relationship with the older woman who educated him in the ways of love. |

Plot Keywords:

Love | Wealth | France | Soul Mates | Prostitute

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Lea de Lonval
Frances Tomelty	...	Rose
Tom Burke	...	Vicomte Desmond
Rupert Friend	...	Cheri
Hubert Tellegen	...	Ernest
Joe Sheridan	...	Marcel
Kathy Bates	...	Madame Peloux
Toby Kebbell	...	Patron
Felicity Jones	...	Edmee
Iben Hjejle	...	Marie Laure
Alain Churin	...	Priest
Bette Bourne	...	Baronne
Nichola McAuliffe	...	Madame Aldonza
Andras Hamori	...	Otto
Gaye Brown	...	Lili

Also Known As:

Chéri - Eine Komödie der Eitelkeiten (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexual content and brief drug use.

Runtime:

USA:86 min | Germany:100 min (Berlin International Film Festival) | USA:92 min

Country:

UK | France | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45123) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Ireland:15A | Netherlands:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | UK:15 | France:U | Finland:K-11 | New Zealand:M | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Biarritz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France

Company:

Bill Kenwright Films

Trivia:

When the project was in development during the 1990s, Jessica Lange planned to star as Léa de Lonval.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In the closing credits, 'thanks' are given to France's national railway, the Societe National Chemin de Fer, known as the "SNCF". However the credits have the letters out of sequence, calling it the "SCNF".

Quotes:

Madame Peloux: [to Lea] He pays no attention to me anymore, but I'm sure he'll listen to anything you have to say.

Movie Connections:

Version of Cheri (2003)

Pfeiffer's Friend

You can't really tell as far as Stephen Frears is concerned. After the sensational "The Queen" another film that is only slightly more tolerable than the dreadful "Mrs Henderson Presents" Here Rupert Friend in the title role is a delightful throwback to Oscar Wilde territory. You understand Pfeiffer loosing her head for him but not why he looses his for her. She's certainly beautiful but lifeless. She looks more distant than ever, struggling to find the tone of her performance and I'm afraid she never does. Not a glimpse of the Pfeiffer from "The Age Of Innocence" or even "The Fabulous Baker Boys" No sense of period or of intention. Kathy Bates is an annoying over the top caricature but Ruper Friend is the oasis that makes the aridity of this nonsense truly bearable. I had seen him before, most remarkably, in another story with another older woman, Joan Plowright in "Mrs Palfrey At The Claremont" He is an actor with, clearly, a few aces up his sleeve and I bet he will dazzle us with other surprises in the future. Here he's badly served by his director, co-stars costume designer, make up and hair and in spite of that he emerges as the only reason to see this film.