Thought-provoking 'Cheri' not for the faint of heart
Cheri opens June 26
Rated: R
By Montana Stuart
SouthFlorida.com
June 23 2009
The only thing I knew about Cheri before seeing it was that it was a movie about middle-aged French prostitutes. Afterwards, however, I had at least 10 burning questions running through my mind and no one to answer them.
In fact, I was still contemplating the ending long after I left the parking lot.
Set in 1920s France, Cheri is the tale of a former courtesan, Lea ( Michelle Pfeiffer), and her colleague’s deliciously handsome but awkward son, Fred, called Cheri (Rupert Friend). The beautiful Lea takes the boy in when he is 19 years old, and there is an explicit age difference.
Cheri’s mother, the boisterous, gossip-hungry Madame Peloux ( Kathy Bates), is worried about her son’s life of late-night partying and is therefore thrilled with the idea of him going to live with Lea.
As time passes, the two grow from flirtatious friends to passionate lovers. The seductress who once vowed to never fall in love becomes completely enamored with the boy. Yes, the fact that she was old enough to be his mother made me cringe, especially since the two were doing plenty of dirty deeds throughout the movie.
Eventually, an arranged marriage between Cheri and a beautiful girl named Edmee causes the two to part ways after six years. Completely shattered, Lea leaves town to cope with the loss, and Cheri battles with his desire for Edmee and the undying love he has for Lea.
The movie is without a doubt a feast for the eyes with its stunning set and costumes. Michelle Pfeiffer, even at 51, is still incredibly gorgeous and was perfect for the role of Lea.
However, despite its brightly colored scenery and ruffled dresses, the movie carried a pretty heavy message about age and love, which I found almost too much for someone my age.
It is also chockfull of passion, so if you blush easily, this probably isn’t the flick for you. Intense but beautiful, Cheri will appeal to a select audience, so if you’re looking for something thought-provoking with a handsome lead with a girly nickname, Cheri will not disappoint.