Cheri (2009)

Directed by: Stephen Frears | 93 minutes | drama, romance | Actors: Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathy Bates, Rupert Friend, Felicity Jones, Frances Tomelty, Anita Pallenberg, Harriet Walter, Iben Hjejle, Bette Bourne, Gaye Brown, Tom Burke, Natasha Cashman, Andras Hamori, Toby Kebbell, Nichola McAuliffe, Joe Sheridan, Hubert Tellegen, Jack Walker, Rollo Weeks

Paris, about 1920. A period of great cultural and intellectual flourishing was underway. This exerted a great attraction on the powerful and wealthy sons of the world. They gathered in Paris and fluttered about the many beautiful courtesans who courted there and who bestowed their “services and favors” on wealthy friends. One of these beautiful ladies is Léa de Lonval, about fifty years old (a strong role by Michelle Pfeiffer who still looks beautiful). She has had many relationships and has her sheep on dry land. With all her experience in the field of paid love, Léa finds it amusing now and then to have a young friend and starts a relationship with the only 25-year-old Fred Peloux, nickname Chéri (good role by Rupert Friend), son of a friend. and fellow courtesan.

Chéri is the type of idler who gladly throws herself into Léa’s hospitable arms and then lets herself be supported by her like a consummate freeloader. With the approval of mother Peloux (a nice role by Kathy Bates), this relationship lasts for five years, after which she has other plans for her son. There must be married to Edmée, the daughter of yet another courtesan. That marriage must go on, because Edmée is good for a high dowry. Love is not present on the part of Chéri, only the financial interest counts. Despite the big age difference, Fred and Léa had a passionate relationship. Fred, however, is above all the calculating bum who surreptitiously redeems Léa for Edmée. Léa is left disappointed alone and comforts herself in a different way. Her ‘Cheri’ disappears from her life, but they cannot forget each other…. After six months of marriage, ‘Chéri’ meets his ex-lover again….

Michelle Pfeiffer in particular looks particularly beautiful as the luxury prostitute Léa, Kathy Bates plays a villainous but witty role and is on a roll with sometimes witty short statements about life and how you should try to get ahead as a woman in this society. Some of the other characters with minor roles in the ‘story’ are sometimes really over the top and almost caricatured.

Creating the real French ambiance is not easy, if you work with an entirely English-speaking line-up, as in this case. The musical support is on the flat side and adds little, the camera work, on the other hand, is pleasing to the eye. The latter is therefore the stronger part of ‘Chéri’, a particularly attractive-looking and easily digestible costume film, which finds its stronger side in the skilful acting and the colorful decoration. The staging is beautiful, the costumes neat. However, the story has little to do with the content and is light as a feather. More depth and drama would have given the film more eloquence, but the good acting still leaves an amusing film. Lovers of the romantic costume film will get their money’s worth with ‘Chéri’.