“Cheri,” a period piece starring Michelle Pfeiffer, is about loss – loss of a loved one, loss of innocence, loss of one’s youth. And as a result of Pfeiffer’s skill as an actress, we feel her pain. The screenplay by Christopher Hampton, an adaptation of a novel by Colette, creates a melodrama about the power courtesans wielded in early 1900s Paris. Lea de Lonval (Pfeiffer) becomes involved with Cheri (Rupert Friend), the son of a fellow professional, Charlotte Perloux (Kathy Bates). The relationship turns into a six-year affair that ends only when Madame Perloux arranges for Cheri to marry the 18-year old daughter of another courtesan. Once separated, Lea and Cheri discover that their feelings for each other run deeper than they expected.
We empathize with the doomed lovers because director Stephen Frears spends equal amounts of time showing how each copes with the forced break-up. However, there is little chemistry between Pfeiffer and Friend although they do look beautiful together. Friend is not a strong enough actor to hold our interest. And Kathy Bates is so over the top that she seems to be in a different movie. With Pfeiffer’s luminous beauty, Consolata Boyle’s exquisite costumes, and gorgeous French scenery, “Cheri” is all superficial effect. 6/26/09
I am a big Michelle Pfeiffer fan and this is the best film to come from her in some time. She looks great and the costumes are wonderful but this picture needs something, a little spice or passion that just wasn't there. I never felt that the story was developed as to why these two got together or what animal instinct produced this affair. They just calmly got together a stayed together for 6 years. She complained about how much he cost her and how she developed him from a boy to a man but I never saw a man emerge from this romance. Kathy Bates was wasted in the role of Cheri’s mother, she has so much to give and it was undelivered. I give this dreary drama a two bagger and wish it could have been more.
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