Fashion and Chanel are synonymous.
Say one and the other is an automatic response. Modern folk know all about Chanel products and that most famous perfume — Chanel No. 5.
Few of us know much about the famous designer.
-- Local show times, theaters.
Coco Before Chanel puts a showbiz spin on the famed fashion icon’s early life from a childhood spent in an orphanage to the edge of Parisian and worldwide fame. Audrey Tautou (Amelie) stars and portrays Coco as a determined gold digger. Coco moves in with a French jet set millionaire.
She dazzles his friends with her independence and her male-oriented fashion daring-do. And no one did better hats than Coco. It’s the hats and — uh — “other skills” that launched her career.
Coco was a 1920s and 1930s version of Paris Hilton. Only with talent.
Tautou’s intense, dark, hypnotic eyes and single-minded persona drive a long and -- ultimately -- not all that interesting story. But fashion flicks aren’t my thing. Beefed-up biopics about historical figures aren’t either.
Outside of one or two shown by the Battelle Film Club every year, the Tri-Cities doesn’t see too many French films. Fans should gobble this up while you can. It won’t be here long.
Mr. Movie rating: 3 1/2 stars
Rated PG-13 for mature themes. It opens Friday, Nov. 20 at the Carmike 12.
5 stars to 4 1/2 stars: Must see on the big screen
4 stars to 3 1/2 stars: Good film, see it if it's your type of movie.
3 stars to 2 1/2 stars: Wait until it comes out on video.
2 stars to 1 star: Don't bother.
0 stars: Speaks for itself.