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Coco Before Chanel

Coco Before Chanel

Drama · History · 2009

Several years after leaving the orphanage, to which her father never returned for her, Gabrielle Chanel finds herself working in a provincial bar. She's both a seamstress for the performers and a singer, earning the nickname Coco from the song she sings nightly with her sister. A liaison with Baron Balsan gives her an entree into French society and a chance to develop her gift for designing.

Movie details

Coco Before Chanel

“Before she was France's famous mademoiselle…”

2009 Drama · History 1h 50m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.9 / 10

Community rating

Several years after leaving the orphanage, to which her father never returned for her, Gabrielle Chanel finds herself working in a provincial bar. She's both a seamstress for the performers and a singer, earning the nickname Coco from the song she sings nightly with her sister. A liaison with Baron Balsan gives her an entree into French society and a chance to develop her gift for designing.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Coco Before Chanel?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Anne Fontaine

Written by

Anne Fontaine · Camille Fontaine

Audrey Tautou

Audrey Tautou

Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel

Benoît Poelvoorde

Benoît Poelvoorde

Étienne Balsan

Alessandro Nivola

Alessandro Nivola

Arthur 'Boy' Capel

Marie Gillain

Marie Gillain

Adrienne Chanel

Emmanuelle Devos

Emmanuelle Devos

Émilienne d'Alençon

Régis Royer

Régis Royer

Alec, Jockey

Étienne Bartholomeus

Étienne Bartholomeus

Balsan Butler

Court is in session

Put Coco Before Chanel on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.