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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Edmonde Charles-Roux (book)
Anne Fontaine (writer)
more
Release Date:
22 April 2009 (Belgium) more
Tagline:
Before she was France's famous mademoiselle...
Plot:
The story of Coco Chanel's rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
1 win & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(122 articles)
Four nominated for the European Film Award
(From MovieScore Magazine. 9 November 2009, 3:02 AM, PST)
'Slumdog Millionaire' Grabs Five Nods at 2009 European Film Awards
(From Aceshowbiz. 9 November 2009, 12:27 AM, PST)
User Comments:
An absorbing but disposable biopic more (25 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Audrey Tautou | ... | Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel |
 | Benoît Poelvoorde | ... | Étienne Balsan |
 | Alessandro Nivola | ... | Arthur 'Boy' Capel |
 | Marie Gillain | ... | Adrienne Chanel |
| Emmanuelle Devos | ... | Emilienne d'Alençon |
| Régis Royer | ... | Alec, le jockey |
| Etienne Bartholomeus | ... | Maître d'hôtel Balsan |
| Yan Duffas | ... | Maurice de Nexon |
| Fabien Béhar | ... | Patron boutique |
| Roch Leibovici | ... | Jean, le palefrenier |
| Jean-Yves Chatelais | ... | Directeur beuglant |
| Pierre Diot | ... | Acteur théâtre |
| Vincent Nemeth | ... | Gros homme théâtre |
| Bruno Abraham-Kremer | ... | Tailleur Deauville |
| Lisa Cohen | ... | Gabrielle Chanel, 10 ans |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Coco Before Chanel (UK) (USA)
Untitled Coco Chanel Project (France) (working title)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for sexual content and smoking.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
105 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Netherlands:AL | South Korea:15 | Ireland:12A | Hong Kong:IIA | USA:PG-13 (certificate #45445) | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Japan:G | Argentina:13 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Canada:G (Québec) | Sweden:Btl | Australia:PG
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
From 1934 to 1971 Coco Chanel made the Hotel Ritz, Paris, France her home. A suite, in honor of her memory, has been named after her: the Coco Chanel Suite. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Costume continuity during the scene where "Boy" allows Coco to drive the motorcar. When they eventually stop the car, Coco is wearing a white scarf which she was not wearing when she first got into the car. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2009-09-26)" (2009) more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (25 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Coco avant Chanel (2009)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| Nazi Lover | urians |
| should we really celebrate chanel? | marymccormack_1612 |
| Boy's Car | wkodom |
| Oscar? | Maestro_Morricone |
| Release date | lala0448 |
| rated pg-13 for sexual content and.... | willybobby |
Recommendations
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| Daens | 8½ | Picnic at Hanging Rock | Die Blechtrommel | Gone with the Wind |
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Anne Fontaine sticks to the remit in this biopic by ignoring the Chanel that most of us are familiar with, i.e. the world-leading brand name in world couture. Instead we get an idiosyncratic, occasionally dramatic but strangely lightweight account of Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel's formative years as a cabaret act on the run. Audrey Tatou's compelling but unsympathetic Coco insinuates herself into the company of a moneyed aristocrat (Poelvoorde's Étienne Balsan). Fontaine's camera follows her as she see-saws between the hungry absorption of timeless country style in her surroundings and creative repulsion towards the glazed bourgeoisie whom she must suffer.
The only real issue with this film is that most of the its drama only comes from knowing who the protagonist goes on to become. There is next to no mention of Chanel's postwar success and influence. Instead we get the only real styling howler of the film - using contemporary models for a 'catwalk' show that's meant to be no later than the mid-1960s - and a text afterword of dubious use. It's competently, reverently assembled though. 6/10