Colette (2018)
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Colette Movie Review
Colette is a 2018 biopic directed by Wash Westmoreland and starring Keira Knightley. It’s such a good, underappreciated movie which is very interesting in its plot and central figure.
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“Claudine is gone now.
You have betrayed her“
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It deals with the French writer at the dawn of the 20th century, the woman who famously wrote ‘Gigi’. I personally fell in love with her story as it truly was so cinematic that it’s surprising that it was made just now into a movie. The movie is problematic in pacing, structure and direction as it needed more confidence and a better focus for sure, but it’s still very involving throughout and frequently even fascinating.
Gabrielle Colette was such a fascinating person who is here superbly performed by Keira Knightley who’s actually stupendous in this role which fits her like a glove. The character’s story is a one of a kind journey and not only does the movie deal with feminism through her writing and relationship with her husband, but it also deals with homosexuality and transgender people. She had lesbian relationships and eventually she had a lasting relationship with a person who was literally female to male.
Yes, Missy is a fascinating figure rarely before seen in period, costume dramas. I liked their relationship quite a bit. But I also liked the husband and how complex their marriage is and their conversations are some of the highlights of the film. The character interactions and relationships shine here, I just wish that some characters got more to do.
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Colette is sumptuously made of course with beautiful costumes, many great shots and terrific interiors as well. The movie is also superbly acted across the board and also professionally written as the script is clever and complex whereas the dialogue is also terrific. The movie is wonderfully progressive for this genre and type of movie, but it’s never aggressive and on-the-nose in that area which I really appreciated. I just wish that the direction was better. Wash Westmoreland did a fine job, but he could have still been better and the same goes for weak editing, pacing and a lack of a better focus. The focus rests so much on the protagonist that it comes somewhat to the detriment of other, also very interesting personalities.
Colette is such an underrated, interesting biopic which needed better editing and direction, but it’s so well acted by Keira Knightley and so well shot and scripted. Gabrielle Colette led such a fascinating life which was so cinematic and just made for movies. The movie deals with feminism, lesbians and transgender people and their addition in a period drama was intriguing, but also portrayed subtly and never too on-the-nose.
