Coco Before Chanel - Movie Review

w/English Subtitles
Adapted from the book: L'irrégulière : ou, Mon itinéraire Chanel
by Edmonde Charles-Roux

Audrey Tautou

as COCO

This film is a sad and demeaning portrait of Chanel’s early life. Gabrielle, Coco, and her sister Adrianne were victims of the times and circumstances beyond their control.

The movie fast forwards from the sisters being orphaned by their father as children to the girls as entertainers in French Music Halls.

Coco is portrayed as a chain smoker, sarcastic, ambitious and a woman not always likeable. Because the sisters are without money or status they are at the mercy of men as mistresses. Adrianne ends up being kept by a French Baron and Coco by a wealthy French playboy who she met in a music hall.

At the mansion of this playboy, Coco is treated appallingly and relegated to eat in the kitchen and kept hidden from his friends.

Eventually Coco manages to make herself known. She is able to see the gaudy and restricting fashions of society women of the day and contrasts them with her vision of simple and comfortable clothing influenced by menswear. She meets another playboy at one of her friend’s parties. Supposedly she falls in love with him and he promises to fund her sewing business.

The film piques your interest to learn more about this successful woman.

Audrey Tautou is great as Chanel!