I need to show y’all something.
This is Michelle Pfeiffer, in 1988’s Dangerous Liaisons. This is Michelle Pfeiffer in Chéri, which opens today. In case your math skills are like mine, 21 years have passed between those two pictures. And Pfeiffer is more stunning than ever.
Sure, she may have had a Botox injection or two (she says she hasn’t had plastic surgery – yet), but, face it (sorry), she is one of those women who get better with age. Thank you, Universe. In Chéri, which is based on the novels of French feminist and bisexual writer Colette, Pfeiffer plays Léa de Lonval, an aging-but-still-breathtaking Parisian courtesan who becomes involved with Chéri (Rupert Friend), a man half her age. (Thanks to Melissa Silverstein for the photo.) Kathy Bates plays Chéri’s mother Charlotte, herself a retired courtesan, who initially asks Léa to help her son grow up, never imagining that the couple would still be living together six years later. On the surface, Chéri is a love story, but the film explores issues of aging, gender roles and sexuality. It also examines the way in which courtesans used their sexual prowess and social skills to gain influence and wealth. Léa is not a high-class prostitute; she is intelligent, funny and kind, with a charm and business savvy that made her a very rich woman. According to reviews, Pfeiffer perfectly captures the character’s complexity.
Here’s the trailer:
Chéri looks like the perfect way to escape the Texas heat for a few hours this weekend – although Pfeiffer is likely to raise the temperature in the theater. What do you think? Will Chéri be a part of your summer viewing?
