Chéri is Michelle Pfeiffer's movie. She's the star, the prime cougar and the backbone to this romantic drama set at the turn of the century with European upper classes in the throes of the excessive period known as Belle Epoque.
Chéri, a second-rate "homonym" for 'Sherry' and 'Cherry', is an apt title for this period piece, which delves into the social and cultural excesses of the time, by indulging in the romantic and erotic affair between Lea (Pfeiffer), a renowned seductress and Chéri (Friend),the son of a courtesan. The relationship starts as a teacher-student introduction to wining and dining with French women, but soon becomes a power struggle over age, money, sex and society as the two become romantically involved.
Chéri is blessed with the performances of screen veterans, Michelle Pfeiffer and Kathy Bates, who both deliver strong, convincing performances. Pfeiffer taps into a chapter in her own life as she plays another cougar role (I Could Never Be Your Woman) as Lea de Lonval, in which she is coming to terms with her age. Bates is hilarious and characteristically domineering as Madame Peloux. Rupert Friend is well-cast as the young Chéri, whose youth and enigma make him a worthy obsession for de Lonval. The film is also complemented by the intelligent and watchful eye of Stephen Frears, who directed Dangerous Liasons and The Queen.
Chéri, however, is slow-moving and inconsistent at times. The opening credits are misleading, establishing the tone for a comedy, as the voice-over and music paint the Belle Epoque with a brief history on wealthy, established women in Paris. It seems disjointed in retrospect and the drama is sluggish to the point that you feel as if you could take a bathroom break and not miss anything. The story is interesting as Hollywood's recent trend to address the older woman-younger man relationship. However, the concept seems slightly stale and has lost the exotic impact it once intended to generate.
This film is not for everyone and makes an interesting introspective into the Belle Epoque and French society at the time. The French costumes, are lavish, the Parisian sets are intriguing and the whole affair is ravishing with many erotic allusions. The voyeuristic direction is done with an understanding of aesthetic beauty in the composition of every shot. The performances from the ensemble provide a solid platform for the suspension of disbelief, which is only permeated by the odd inconsistency and dramatic lag in the story.
You could say Chéri is Dangerous Liasons in a tea cup. Pfeiffer worked under the direction of Frears in Dangerous Liasons, which had much greater scope and a broader cast. She's the principal star in Chéri, but it never feels fully representative of the sum of its parts? Perhaps a jealous lover, more skin or a deadly dual could have spiced things up a bit. All in all, Chéri remains a decent outing, which should be seen for the weight of its performances.
The bottom line: Fine.
