Coco Chanel is depicted as a heartless home wrecker in director Jan Kounen's pointless biopic drama. Moreover, this weak effort is rendered unnecessary by Audrey Tautou's memorable portrayal as the famed French icon in last year's "Coco."
In 1913 Igor Stravinsky (Mads Mikkelsen) presents his unconventional score, featuring Nijinsky dancing to Diaghalev's ingeniously modern choreography, for the avant-garde ballet "The Rite of Spring" to an enraged Parisian crowd.
From her seat in the audience Coco Chanel (played by a miscast Anna Mouglalis) does not share the crowd's displeasure. Instead, she becomes Stravinsky's ardent financial backer.
Several years later Coco invites the gifted composer, his ailing wife (Yelena Morozova), and their four children to stay at her spacious villa so he can compose in peace. Coco's ulterior motives come to the fore when she and Stravinsky enter into a torrid dalliance that drives away Stravinsky's wife and children.
A stench of cruelty sticks to the filmmakers' questionable intentions, as well as to the callous actions of the dueling artistic protagonists.
Rated R. 118 mins.
