Synopsis: In Cheri, a courtesan instructs her friend’s son in the ways of love, resulting in an affair that lasts for years.
Release Date: June 19, 2009 MPAA Rating: PG-13
Genre(s): Romance, Drama
Film Review
Production
Into the small world of the Courtesans Cheri dives directly and offers the viewer a delectable glimpse into the glamor, the mischief, and the heartache of a questionable profession. The variety of characters with their own specificities are hard to resist, and the remarkable settings paint a picture of a fantasy world with the vibrant colors and breathtaking countryside. With Michelle Pfeiffer (Lea) as the aging Courtesan who finds love where, and when, she least expects a ripe story of love and loss is portrayed and she gives a performance with such beautiful vulnerability and strength you cannot keep your eyes off of her for a moment. Cheri is by far a film you will not soon forget, or guess as to what it has in store for the characters, and the audience.
Writing
This is a screenplay that has plenty of bite and just enough sentiment. The dialogue in Cheri is full of attitude and sarcasm, and gives each character just the right amount of development to be able to fully grasp their desires and intentions. Cheri may be a love story, but there is not a heavy dose of melodrama. It instead relies on the suffocating solitude of a woman who must deny her one desire and never reveal her true feelings. The real fulfillment of the screenplay comes when Lea utters her final line. She is completely exposed and desperate. It is with this one moment you see just how well constructed and well written the entire screenplay has been to hide such deeply moving and exceptional emotions from the main character until the last second.
Costumes
The costumes in Cheri are absolutely stunning and gorgeous. The sumptuous fabrics, intricate detailing, and beautiful construction make them one of the best parts of the entire film. In a lavish and romantic world, the costuming merely adds to its decadence and spirit, giving each and every character a stronger characterization because the clothes each of them wear say more than words ever could.
Cast and Crew
- Director(s): Stephen Frears
- Screenwriters: Tracey Seaward, Christopher Hampton
- Cast: Michelle Pfeiffer (Lea de Lonval), Kathy Bates (Madame Peloux), Rupert Friend (Cheri), Felicity Jones (Edmee)
- Other Crew: Lucia Zucchetti, Darius Khondji, Alan MacDonald, Consolata Boyle
- Music Score: Alexandre Desplat
- Country Of Origin: UK, Germany
