Miramax Films

Written By: Christopher Hamilton and based on the novel by Collette

In a day and age where the phrases “older woman” and “cougar” have become almost synonymous with one another, kudos to Michelle Pfeiffer and the spirit and vitality she brings to her performance in “Cheri.” Unfortunately, anchored down by an unlikable leading man and some questionable storytelling decisions, “Cheri” falls short of potential greatness and ends up being an average period drama that depending on your personal taste, might amaze you or bore you greatly.

Pfeiffer stars as retired courtesan, Lea de Lonval, who nearly 50, finds herself falling for 20-something Fred (Rupert Friend), the son of a fellow retired courtesan, Charlotte (Kathy Bates). Branding Fred with the nickname of “Cheri”, they embark on a passionate and carefree 6-year love affair, which comes crashing to a sudden halt when Charlotte announces to Lea that she has arranged Cheri to marry Edmee, the nubile daughter of another courtesan. When Cheri initially resists to the arrangement, he is empowered by Lea to marry Edmee and does so obligingly. Lea and Cheri try and move forward with their new lives, but soon must confront the emotions they have tried to suppress; a task proving more difficult than ever could have imagined.

As Cheri, Friend embodies the love of Lea’s life, yet he presents as rude, childish, and immature. A courtesan with the charm and eminence of Lea falling in love with this annoying manchild is certainly hard to accept. I couldn’t accurately determine if the intent was to make Cheri so annoying, or whether that was how Friend’s performance made him seem. Perhaps, Frears’ intent was to make him socially immature all along, as Lea and Cheri’s relationship hits on some Oedipal underpinnings. which are never fully explored and arguably would have made the film much more interesting, especially in the escalating interplay between Lea and Cheri.

“Cheri” is a beautiful film to sit back and watch. The sets are ripe with color, as are the costumes. Many shots are framed almost like a photograph, and Alexander Desplat’s score is mostly pitch perfect. Where “Cheri” suffers comes in the telling of the tale, a problem exasperated largely by Rupert Friend’s grating performance and Frears’ jarring narration, which comes off infrequent and unnecessary and only succeeds in detaching the viewer from engaging with the story.

The film ends with Pfeiffer’s Lea stripped emotionally bare and vulnerable. Frears wisely locks into her unflinching stare into a mirror…as he also crowbars in narration that dooms the power of the moment. A fitting end to a frustrating film, “Cheri” the film, like Cheri the character, never truly matures into anything substantial.

Should I See It?

YES

Michelle Pfeiffer shines in the role and her performance is well worth the 90+ minutes it takes to watch the film.

If you are a fan of 1900′s/turn-of-the-century period pieces, “Cheri” has all the technical ingredients presented perfectly- lavish sets, stunning costumes, and a subtle and engaging music score.

If you are a fan of the novel and/or other adaptations of the story, this is certainly worth a compare and contrast type of viewing.

NO

An underwritten script and underdeveloped supporting characters render the film less interesting than it should certainly be.

If the idea of a woman having an affair with a man 25-years younger, whom she has known all of her life, is too much for you…’Cheri” is not the film for you.

If you want a film in this genre that provides much more entertainment for the time spent, there are a dozen films I can think of off the top of my head that are better and more realized.