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"COCO BEFORE CHANEL" (2009) (Audrey Tautou, Alessandro Nivola) (PG-13) QUICK TAKE: Historical drama: Coco Chanel struggles to find her destiny as a fashion designer in early 20th-century France while juggling romances with two wealthy men. PLOT: The film chronicles the early life of French fashion magnate Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (AUDREY TAUTOU), who grew up in an orphanage with her sister, Adrienne (MARIE GILLAIN). The Chanel sisters grow up to become singers on the French nightclub scene circa 1908, hoping they will meet rich barons who would marry them. When Adrienne gets her wish or so she thinks, Coco gravitates to a wealthy older man named Etienne Balsan (BENOIT POELVOORDE) and becomes a glorified squatter at his French country estate. She gives him sex, sings at his pretentious cocktail parties, and makes hats for his rich female neighbors. In return, he gives her an ornate mansion to live in, good meals (although she is relegated to the kitchen with the other hired help), and horses to ride. Against her better judgment, Coco eventually falls in love with Etienne's colleague, a British businessman named Arthur "Boy" Capel (ALESSANDRO NIVOLA). He falls for her, too, even as he keeps his engagement to a wealthy woman back in London a secret. Coco eventually finds out, forcing her to choose between a continued life of sheltered luxury at the Balsan estate where she will always be subservient to the generally good-hearted Etienne or striking out on her own and fulfilling her fashion-designing dreams. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Older teens with an interest in fashion might be drawn to it. It's in French with subtitles, so interest will probably be limited. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For sexual content and smoking. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: AUDREY TAUTOU plays the future French fashion magnate Coco Chanel, who gets by as a young woman by singing in French nightclubs; charming rich, married men; and designing hats for the upper class. She smokes and drinks excessively and has no problem being a "kept woman" even as she tries to train her heart not to fall in love. BENOIT POELVOORDE plays a wealthy, middle-aged French baron who pursues Coco for the purposes of sleeping with her. When she worms her way onto his estate, he agrees to let her stay at his mansion and entertain his friends in return for continued sex. He is a generally decent man otherwise, a product of his times, who comes to love Coco even as he prefers to keep her in his debt. He is a heavy smoker and drinker. ALESSANDRO NIVOLA plays a wealthy British businessman who is closer to Coco's age. He falls in love with her, despite the fact that he is engaged to be married to a wealthy woman back in London. He and Coco subsequently carry on an adulterous relationship for a number of years. MARIE GILLAIN plays Coco's sister, who has delusions that the married man she is sleeping with will come to marry her. She and Coco came of age in an orphanage following the death of their mother and the subsequent abandonment by their father. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this historical drama with French subtitles that has been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of a brief expletive, while some colorful phrases are also uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present. There is one, mostly clothed sex scene in the back of an automobile, while off-screen sex is implied via a number of other "morning-after scenes. Bad attitudes are present throughout, as is some potentially imitative behavior, various thematic elements and tense family material. Smoking is excessive, as is the consumption of alcohol. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, the opening credit sequence is somewhat disorienting as the camera gives a bouncy and shaky wagon's-eye view of Coco and her sister's journey to an orphanage. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Coco and her sister join Etienne and friends for champagne after one of their early nightclub performances. Etienne and Coco later enjoy drinks together. Coco is clearly working him at the saloon owner's request to get him to drink more. He is said to have drank three bottles of champagne. Etienne has champagne served at a formal dinner at his estate. Many alcoholic beverages are consumed at numerous subsequent parties and get-togethers Etienne throws. After one such party, a clearly drunk Etienne enters Coco's room and eventually convinces her to let him stay the night after some kissing and fondling. Etienne, Coco and several of Etienne's friends enjoy brandy at a picnic. Following a costume party in which much alcohol is served, Etienne is shown the next morning still drinking. BLOOD/GROSS STUFF None. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Young girls in an orphanage whisper and snicker at the newly arrived Coco. One of Coco's favorite pastimes is to size up what other women are wearing and quietly criticize them without their knowing. She does this on multiple occasions throughout the film, usually with Etienne or Arthur. Coco lies about an abusive aunt who beat and starved her and her sister. Coco lies about her experience riding horses. Etienne shows Coco portraits of several of his other dead family members, making negative comments about each ("I'm glad he died poor," "I'm glad she didn't have children," etc.) Etienne prefers to keep Coco out of sight early on as he throws lavish parties, instructing her to remain in her room and to only eat in the kitchen with his other hired help. Etienne rudely puts a clearly uncomfortable Coco on display at a party with his rich friends, coaxing her to sing even though she prefers not to. Coco tells Etienne that his wealthy friends give her "the creeps." Etienne, hoping to keep Coco at the estate on his own terms, admiringly describes the submissive role of geishas in Japanese society. Coco tells one woman who has asked for her honest opinion on a dress she is wearing that the woman "looks like you're in a carnival." Etienne and a friend throw darts at a painting of one of Etienne's aunts. Arthur does not tell Coco he is engaged to a wealthy woman and continues to carry on a sexual relationship with her. Instead, Etienne later tells Coco even though Arthur has asked him not to. FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "The bastard asked for it," "He was born a bastard," "You're as stubborn as an ass," "Stick to your horse dung," "It's too bad you need a guy to have sex," "He mounts me like a chimp," "Do you like seeing me work on all fours?" "I'll whore along," "You almost look feminine," "I'm not used to undressing boys," "Shut up," "What a clod," "Degenerates," "Idiot and" Boor." One of Coco's favorite pastimes is to size up what other women are wearing and quietly criticize them without their knowing. Coco and Adrienne both believe it is OK to carry on affairs, as long as it increases your own personal comfort level. Coco lies that she has experience riding horses. Etienne gives Coco money to place bets on a horse race. Coco comes up from behind Adrienne and pats her hard on the buttocks. Etienne and a friend throw darts at a painting of one of Etienne's aunts. Coco is regularly put down for not more wearing corsets and other period garments. Her femininity is briefly questioned by Etienne and, to a lesser extent, Arthur. Coco briefly drives Arthur's automobile recklessly on an icy road. JUMP SCENES Arthur lures Coco to an upstairs room late in the film, then jumps out from behind and startles her. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least one "ass" (although it is used in reference to a donkey). SEX/NUDITY Coco and her sister talk about how much they enjoy making love, with Coco joking, "It's too bad you need a guy to have sex." Coco and Etienne have off-screen sex. One of Coco's stage costumes shows ample cleavage. Coco moves into Etienne's mansion. The two reach a silent agreement that she will be available to him for sex in exchange for letting her stay. Etienne and Coco have off-screen sex the first night she stays at the mansion. We see Etienne show Coco to her bedroom. He closes the door and the scene cuts to the next morning with Coco still in bed. A drunken Etienne aggressively kisses and fondles Coco as she lies in bed. The scene fades to black with the implication that this heavy petting will eventually lead to sex. One of Etienne's female friends brags about her younger lover who "mounts me like a chimp" and who is short but "well endowed." While on her hands and knees cleaning, Coco suggestively asks Arthur, "Do you like seeing me work on all fours?" At a costume party at Etienne's estate, one partygoer is shown wearing a bra, but no shirt or blouse. At that same party, a naughty game of hide and seek is played. When Etienne catches a woman, the prize is he gets to bend down and look up her dress. Coco and Arthur break away from Etienne's nighttime game of hide and sex to have off-screen sex. An actress wishes her costume were sexier and that it would show more cleavage and "more thigh." Coco and Arthur are shown having sex in the backseat of Arthur's automobile. He is shirtless and is shown grinding away hard on top of her. As Arthur kisses Coco hard and begins to undress her, he playfully teases her by saying "I'm not used to undressing boys." This is in reference to Coco preferring to wear simple blouse-and-pants combinations in an era when most women clothed themselves in layered, hard-to-remove dresses. Coco confesses to Arthur that her father had numerous extramarital affairs. After Arthur marries a wealthy woman back in London, he and Coco carry on an adulterous relationship for what is implied as several years. They plan a two-month trip to Cannes together where Arthur can't wait to have "60 days and 60 nights" with her. SMOKING Coco smokes on at least two dozen occasions throughout the film. She almost always smokes while sewing and tailoring. She also enjoys a cigarette before and after performing on stage in the film's early scenes. A wagon driver lights a cigarette after dropping off Coco and her sister at an orphanage. We learn later that the man was very likely the two girls' father. Customers in a nightclub are shown smoking. Etienne is shown smoking when he first meets the Chanel sisters. He invites them to his table where they all smoke. Coco smokes in bed the morning after sex with Etienne. Etienne enjoys a cigar while watching a horse race. There is much smoking among guests at an estate party Etienne throws. An actress who Coco has designed a hat for is seen smoking in her dressing room. Arthur smokes over breakfast with Etienne and some colleagues. Multiple characters, almost all of whom are minor ones, are shown smoking at a costume party. Etienne smokes the morning after his big costume party. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Coco's father abandons her and her sister at an orphanage when they are just young girls. We later learn that the father was a notorious adulterer and Coco's mother would pine for him until her early death when Coco was just 9 years old. Coco wistfully recalls in dialogue finding her mother's body. Adrienne must tell Coco that she will no longer sing with her on stage because she is moving to the French countryside to be the kept woman of a wealthy married man. Coco makes up stories about an abusive aunt who would beat and starve her. Etienne is delighted that both his parents are deceased. Etienne shows Coco portraits of several of his other dead family members, making negative comments about each ("I'm glad he died poor," "I'm glad she didn't have children," etc.) Later in the film, Etienne is shown throwing darts at the one aunt's portrait. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT How socially acceptable it used to be to smoke before everyone knew the health risks. French society at the turn of the 20th century and how women were not encouraged to have careers. Marrying for money as opposed to love. The rise of designer Coco Chanel in the once male-dominated fashion industry VIOLENCE One character dies in an automobile crash. We don't see the accident happen, but we are shown the crash site afterwards complete with a thrashed car. Reviewed October 11, 2009 / Posted October 16, 2009