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10

DufreshestOct 14, 2018

Cinematography: 9.529/10 The film flows well and looks good. Talk about subtlety infusing the camera as a part of the story.

Costume Design: 9.522/10 Costume becomes a necessary point in the film to acknowledge: it's not only useful for theCinematography: 9.529/10 The film flows well and looks good. Talk about subtlety infusing the camera as a part of the story.

Costume Design: 9.522/10 Costume becomes a necessary point in the film to acknowledge: it's not only useful for the story - but works well and looks good for the overall film.

Film Editing: 9.872/10 Solid. Really nice balancing throughout the film in conjunction with the story. Very intimate.

Make-up and Hair-styling: 9.879/10 Solid.

Sound Editing: 9.792/10 Solid.

Visual Effects:9.459/10 Solid.

Story: 9.792/10 Solid.

Acting: 9.812/10 Solid.

Personal: Colette offers history through entertainment in a very accurate, only seemingly subtle - though very present - sense. The film has a strong focus on gender-social relations which stands on a foreground though is so backhanded. Through all the festivity, culture - sounds of life for their, Colette and Willy's, time - Collette glamorizes the neck which she adorns for all to gaze in awe and curiosity. Colette is a film about talent and particular social relationships through a scope - a limited sense, though a world nonetheless to and of other lives with only so much being capable of being revealed through the film.

Is this a Feminist film? Loaded term, right? I wouldn't say so - but, it calls attention to women in insufferable relationships seeking their freedoms and finding their ways about expressing them. Many interesting psychological questions arise from watching Colette: are women acting accordingly within the film to truly express themselves, or to try their hand at being like the ones in the positions which distress them unequivocally, or in spite of individuals (in this case men, though a situation rises between women concerning control and reputation which seems to ultimately support an idea of self and reputation in the film) seemingly oppressing them? There's definitely a large showing of women attempting to express themselves and admiring other women doing so. There is seemingly spiteful dialogue concerning men in a general sense which may be irking for guys none the like of the accused men especially since it's coming primarily from a women with particular wants herself.

There are many boundaries to assess with a film like Colette. I don't think the film is a timely film: I simply think it is a film which further contributes to an ongoing though more public conversation of female countenance and draws the idea of being a man into question among other incredulous societal orders. Sadly, people attempt to be selfish in negative ways that don't benefit societies. Thinking of Colette really makes me think of human conditions which vary society to society, neighbor to neighbor, individual to individual though affect discourses of times.

It's one thing to talk, live, and think business. It's another thing to talk, live, and think biased, stereotyping, and prejudiced. Colette is a really good film offering a grand stage for inquiry. How much does curiosity, inexperience, and naivete play in an individual's development? What is the city versus the country to Colette(very nice subtle touch in the film - very poetic)?

Overall: 9.707/10

-K.D.

If you're into Poetry and other bits of creativity, check out my Instagram: @Dufreshest.… Expand

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8

SaraClementsOct 15, 2018

Once again, Keira Knightley is out there giving a powerhouse performance in period clothes, but this time, she replaces the corset with a dapper suit. And Colette may just be her best performance yet. Knightley plays Sidonie–GabrielleOnce again, Keira Knightley is out there giving a powerhouse performance in period clothes, but this time, she replaces the corset with a dapper suit. And Colette may just be her best performance yet. Knightley plays Sidonie–Gabrielle Colette, one of the most celebrated French novelists of all time. But her famous Claudine novels were never always her own. As a woman, she was forced to hide behind her novelist husband’s name and watch him get all the glory for her work. But, as the film shows, she fights back – for her work, and for her name.

Colette is a badass that has slipped the minds of many, but Wash Westmoreland’s film, despite taking place in the late 19th-early 20th century, is timely, as women are still fighting her fight. Fighting for equality, a voice, and the right to be individual. Many of Knightley’s past characters have worn the accessory of asphyxiation, but right out of the gate, Colette’s refusal to conform to the traditional female dress of Belle Époque high society is just one of the indications that the audience is in for a “We can do it!” kind of narrative. Colette follows the period in the writer’s life when she was married to writer Henry “Willy” Gauthier-Villars. We see the sexual drama of their marriage and Willy’s newfound success as a writer after he asks Colette to write a series of books based on her school days. The Claudine novels became an almost overnight success, transforming into a national brand with young women lining up for the latest in Claudine dresses, beauty products, cigarettes – you name it, they had it. While keeping inside her talent from the world, she flourishes outward in this story of identity.

The film paints the portrait of a woman whose life is explored over two decades. Knightley is at the top of her game here, as she manages to create the illusion that her character ages throughout the film’s runtime. Her skin may lack the signs of age, but her demeanor does not. Through Knightley’s gestures, mannerisms, the way she carries herself, the audience feels Colette’s growth from the shy Gabrielle to her husband Willy’s fantasy of her as Claudine to finally, Colette; she transforms into an independent, self-made force and releases herself from the chains her husband has tied to her for so long. As Willy, Dominic West will no doubt make many women hate men more than they already do, but he proves just the right match to his costar. In the midst of Parisian high art, culture, and cuisine is the discourse on gender politics, as we see Colette’s struggle to write her own name under the title of her novels. But the film also discusses sexuality, and as a queer period piece, it’s full of it. Despite Colette being married to a man, she is sexually fluid. Throughout the course of the film, we see Colette explore her sexuality through her style – going from ballgowns to neckties – and her partners. She has her first female fling with Georgie, played by Eleanor Tomlinson who sports a divine Louisiana accent. Followed by one of her lifelong partners Missy, played by Denise Gough who plays up Missy’s masculine charm well as the perfect support to Colette.

There has been some discourse around the casting of Denise Gough, as many claim Missy was a trans man. However, while Hollywood does have a terrible track record when it comes to casting cis actors to play trans roles, Missy’s identification as a trans man is not discussed in the film, nor is it possible to be 100% certain that she was trans in real life. While Missy has a masculine attitude and fashion sense, she could be a he/him butch lesbian. This isn’t uncommon as, for example, Greta Garbo often wore male attire and referred to herself using male pronouns, but was not a trans man. The film does, however, contain a scene where Colette addresses Missy using male pronouns and corrects Willy when he uses feminine ones. It’s an important piece of narrative in a medium that is often lacking in identification of the kind. Despite this, the film isn’t absent of transgender talent, with actor Jake Graf in his role as playwright Gaston De Caillavet, emphasizing the point that casting trans actors, in general, is equally as important as casting them in trans roles.

It’s a poignant, unabashedly feminist period piece that is playful and honest in its storytelling of a young girl’s coming of age, her exploration of her own womanhood, and her fight against the patriarchy. The fashion may have gone out of style, but the message has not. While no longer is it, “The hand that holds the pen [that] writes history,” but the voices that shout the loudest that do.… Expand

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4

Brent_MarchantSep 28, 2018

Not even Keira Knightley's fine performance and excellent period piece production values can save this cartoonish biopic, which plays more like a film adaptation of a tawdry pulp novel than a serious historic saga. This, combined with theNot even Keira Knightley's fine performance and excellent period piece production values can save this cartoonish biopic, which plays more like a film adaptation of a tawdry pulp novel than a serious historic saga. This, combined with the characters' monodimensionality and virtually nonexistent back story, expose a half-baked screenplay in need of major retooling. A genuine disappointment.… Expand

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7

foxgroveOct 12, 2018

despite a less than auspicious beginning, Colette finally finds a satisfying rhythm with the introduction of the first Claudine book. Keira Knightley and Dominic West have enough chemistry to keep the picture interesting and the costumes anddespite a less than auspicious beginning, Colette finally finds a satisfying rhythm with the introduction of the first Claudine book. Keira Knightley and Dominic West have enough chemistry to keep the picture interesting and the costumes and music add another sumptuous dimension to a not unrewarding production.… Expand

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7

GinaKOct 2, 2018

A fun movie with Kyra Knightley and Dominic West. You can learn a little about the author Colette and a bit about La Belle Epoque and wallow in some clichés about writing (sometimes writers do it more for the money than for art, etc.), butA fun movie with Kyra Knightley and Dominic West. You can learn a little about the author Colette and a bit about La Belle Epoque and wallow in some clichés about writing (sometimes writers do it more for the money than for art, etc.), but basically this is a colorful and entertaining film with a lot to like – as long as you “go with it” and don’t ask a lot of questions.… Expand

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8

DasCinemaOct 18, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The movie is good, but the performances are great, particularly Keira Knightley's performance. The movie takes you through a decade and a half of Colette's life and what an interesting life it is. From shy, quiet farm girl to a celebrity to a self-assured woman exploring her sexuality, Knightley is ferocious in making Colette come to life and you can feel it. It truly is one of the greatest performances of this year and it should earn her another academy award nomination. Then there is Dominic West, who also gives a terrific performance, making you loathe and like Willy at the same time. The movie is beautiful, the passions between husband and wife, wife and her lovers are strong, and some of it leads to comedic situations. The only drawback I found was that the movie was a bit slow, but otherwise, it was a well-done movie with clever dialogue.… Expand

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7

JLuis_001Nov 15, 2018

Definately this is not the kind of film that attracts many audiences but I found it interesting enough to take a look and I was honestly surprised.

No doubt seeing it without knowing who Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette was will be strange for notDefinately this is not the kind of film that attracts many audiences but I found it interesting enough to take a look and I was honestly surprised.

No doubt seeing it without knowing who Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette was will be strange for not knowing anything about her life and I didn't know a damn about her with the exception that she wrote the famous novel Gigi but this film is an interesting piece in which Keira Knightley delivers one of his best performances in years and is quite entertaining despite its simplicity.

If you have the opportunity to see it, do it, I don't think you will be disappointed.… Expand

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6

movieducationDec 5, 2018

The movie COLETTE is like prequel for the movie COLETTE, three-quarters for prelude, including interesting state of “affairs”, inclines Knightley’s chance to fight as wholly fascinating figure, somehow, it is just too late. Still, a light,The movie COLETTE is like prequel for the movie COLETTE, three-quarters for prelude, including interesting state of “affairs”, inclines Knightley’s chance to fight as wholly fascinating figure, somehow, it is just too late. Still, a light, moderately entertaining period piece.… Expand

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7

LegendaryLassDec 18, 2018

It's never uninteresting or slow, but this gorgeous film doesn't end up getting more than skin-deep. The conflict, while perhaps historically accurate, isn't ever terribly conflicting or challenging.

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6

TVJerryOct 17, 2018

Keira Knightley plays the famed Parisian author, who not only created a series of wildly popular and influential novels, but also explored a controversial polyamourous relationship with her husband (Dominic West). He initially took creditKeira Knightley plays the famed Parisian author, who not only created a series of wildly popular and influential novels, but also explored a controversial polyamourous relationship with her husband (Dominic West). He initially took credit for writing the books, which eventually caused her rebellious spirit to fully ignite. Knightly does fine in the lead. Her costumes are especially attractive. This is more a biography than a romance, depicting their intense love, stormy relationship, creative conflict and period accoutrements with visual appeal and cultural relevance, but not much passion. May appeal to those who appreciate historical drama.… Expand