R21/In English, French, Russian/120mins
Directed by: Jan Kounen
Cast: Anna Mouglalis, Mad Mikkelsen, Yelena Morozova, Natacha Lindinger
One word: interesting. Or perhaps, bizzare. The whole movie is presented in the same theme as however bizzare and confusing as the relationship between Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky. Totally constipated/withdrawn (闷骚) in the expression of emotion and thoughts, but straight-to-the-point and primitive in the display of bursting sexual needs that those dirty old man will probably die of heart attack. Totally French? I dare not generalise.
Jokes aside, I am not sure if I actually like this movie if at all, but it does trigger some thoughts in me. Katie, Igor's wife, who's also childhood sweetheart, knows Igor at her finger tips. Literally, she's in a way the pillar to Igor's musical career but possibly at the same time, his invisible glass ceiling to his breakthrough in his musical career. Katie comments and corrects Igor's pieces. It's such a lovely yet heartbreaking partnership to see Igor playing his Klavier and Katie noting down his scores by ear and correcting them. She mentioned to Coco that, "Things change." They were childhood sweethearts, but getting married and having children totally changed the issue. His love for Katie has been depleting and I can see that it totally hit rock bottom with Coco coming into the picture. How much do you see such things happening around in reality? Plentiful. Being honest, I fear to have the same fate as Katie. Katie, a mother of 4 lovely children, an ill wife who still works as hard as her husband, yet gets no love from her husband. If I could, I would personally castrate him. Ok, exaggerated.
The character of Coco simply reflects the current reality in the climbing of career ladder, living to the motto of "to each own". She, the strong and independent career woman, surpresses all emotions (except sexual desire, ok, perhaps lusty love) and in a way, is totally goal oriented. Nothing gets in the way on the path to sucess. Seduction, perfection, indifferent and cold. I don't even like her voice. To think that I actually like her brand pretty much. This is making me thinking twice.
Finding inspiration doesn't naturally entitle you to the rights of having an affair. Or maybe, it just shows that sometimes being in the comfort zone stiffens creativity? Half true? Or just excuses?
Like the opening scene of the totally modern and radical russian ballet in the movie, this movie was handled in such a similar manner. Don't expect a goody-two-shoe biography of Coco's affair with Igor. Instead, it comes in chunks of important milestones (her discovery of Chanel No.5) and, of course, box office's favourite element: several in your face sex scenes that make you wonder if they're actually life demostration in a biology class.
JM didn't like it. I, just found it interesting, or perhaps bizzare.
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