Reptileenbu Did you people see the same film I saw?

Cooktopi The acting in this movie is really good.

Jenna Walter The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

plex There is a vital reasoning behind the purpose of making this film. Chanel is one of the most influential persons of the 20th century, and Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" is arguably the best piece of music ever composed. As a matter or fact, I am quite surprised this story, in its generality, was not tackled sooner. This film has many of the element we see in any other films that are well shot, acted, and edited. However, it is the constant vagueness of the storyline which concerns me and left me unsatisfied. I can see the styling of sparse dialog, especially when the writers can convey all the meaning they need to with forced economy, and economical dialog is what you get with this film. However, this is an information-driven story, and next to nothing is explained to the point I felt it was assumed that I as a viewer were to be expected to know the details about the subject before hand. As a result, I had to research multiple web-sites to fill in the blanks, to answer the questions that this film left behind. When you are trying to convey complex scenarios with limited dialog, the camera becomes more vital to tell propel the story and the burden on the actor's abilities become's crucial. This is where, IMO, the film lacks cohesiveness and purpose. I wanted to know more about both of our protagonists, Coco and Igor, but I got little information, leaving me to use my imagination, when I wanted facts instead. I never new "Rite" had so many re-writes over so many years, I never knew of the affair, I knew of the controversy behind the the music but I had been taught early performances caused riots. What happens to Katarina? The kids? Did they get back together? What were Coco's thoughts about her affair decades later? What drove her to Stravinsky? The "Rite" score seems to just magically be completed but I was eager to learn insights of the creative process and see it develop. To that point, I think they really missed out as "Rite" is the primary music played throughout the film and is used as a phantom character. I like Mikkelsen well enough, but found him to be an odd choice for this role. Coco, portrayed by Anna Mouglalis was sublime and commanding.

Crveni Krst I am not particularly acknowledged with either Coco Chanel's or Igor Stravinsky's lives and careers, and frankly, I never bothered to investigate them in detail. That is until I saw this excellent motion picture...What fascinated me from the first 'till the last frame was the whole way "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" was filmed. The frame is absolutely perfect, and it's not hard to realize that this movie was made by an educated professional who knows his camera well. Each scene, each cut and setting is right, and united together with an emotional story and very good acting this becomes film a lasting experience in the eye of the beholder. I honestly don't know whether the story is based on true facts or fiction, yet the script is written well enough to be truly convincing. Good job!Beside the technical brilliance, there's yet another thing which made me love this motion picture - The surrounding of the filming location was a jewel in a crown, maybe even the shiniest one. I particularly like the interior decoration of Art Deco, and "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" shows the finest example.In short - this film is a solid example of how movie making can still be treated as art, despite this modern cinematic world of one liners and CGI. 10 points well earned.

Dharmendra Singh Anyone who presumed that this film would be a follow-on from 'Coco before Chanel', Anne Fontaine's endearing, rags-to-riches depiction of Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, would be mistaken. This film is director Jan Kounen's attempt to portray Coco how she really was: a mean-spirited, conceited femme fatale.Only the avant-garde artistry of Igor Stravinsky's music is enough to mollify Coco (Anna Mouglalis). The Russian composer's controversial work repels most for being too audacious and violent, but it entrances her, and after the Russian revolution leaves Igor and his family penniless, Coco invites them to live with her. Igor accepts and thus begins a cataclysmic affair.What begins as a 'Remains of the Day'-type attraction – where Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson were at pains to disclose their true feelings for each other and could only do so through knowing glances – very quickly descends into a sex-crazed love affair rivalling the one in 'Last Tango in Paris'.A subject you can usually trust French filmmakers with, however, what's missing from the plentiful love scenes between the two is, frankly, love. In fact, their entire relationship is rather curious. It's redolent of the relationship a drug addict has with drugs: It's the feeling the substance gives that's sacrosanct, not the substance itself.I was unmoved by what I believed should have been an intense performance for the part of Igor (Mads Mikkelsen). It is staid and lacklustre, interrupted by the occasional paroxysm when he is writing or playing music. The filming of Stravinsky's seminal piece, 'The Rite of Spring' in the grand Champs-Élysées theatre (as in actuality) is very impressive: the suspense, drama and sheer creepiness convince you that you are seeing the spectacle for real.It may be reasonably assumed that Coco was purely a product of her insular background - provincial, orphaned, raised by nuns - but she is never worthy of pity. The only person who deserves this is Igor's wife, Katherine (Yelena Morozova). Her characterisation of a powerless woman who sees her husband slip away from her inch by inch is so full of pathos that it leaves you contemplating whether to buy a bottle of Chanel No. 5 ever again.For all her brutality, though, there's a wonderfully dainty scene where she formulates her signature fragrance. As with everything else, she's very pernickety and it's only after playing Goldilocks that she arrives at the correct blend of the 80 ingredients.Asked if she ever felt guilty for her deeds, Coco simply says 'No' unbearably cavalierly, which left me wondering: If she never had any humanity for herself, why should we have any for her?www.scottishreview.net

druid333-2 The scene is Paris on the 29th of May,in 1913. Although World War 1 would not envelope Europe for another year,or so, another battlefield would take place. The Paris premiere of Igor Stravinsky's 'The Rite Of Spring' would open to an outraged Parisian audience (tipping off a small scale riot,causing the police to break things up). In the audience, fashion designer,Coco Chanel was in attendance (trying to move on,since the death of her lover,Arthur 'Boy' Capel),utterly captivated that a piece of work could evoke such a reaction. Flash forward seven years later. Coco Chanel is now a widely respected business woman with a line of clothes (and hats),while Igor Stravinsky is living penniless as an exile with his family,living in what ever hotel that would take them. Coco Chanel suggests that they move in her chalet. With family in tow,Igor Stravinsky moves in Chanel's opulent palace,where he & Coco eventually have an affair that is mainly a lot of sweaty, joyless sex (Stravinsky rarely displays any kind of joy,even while he is composing music,as does Chanel---perhaps both their passions are held within themselves). This begins to have an impact on Stravinsky's wife & family (Kayta Stravinskaya is almost always depicted as sickly),and his sons begin to suspect that dad is up to no good. All of this makes for a film that is breath taking to look at,as well as to listen to (some of Stravinsky's music graces the soundtrack,including the original 1913 arrangement of his now celebrated 'Rite',as well as the 1947 revised version,as well as snippets of some of Stravinsky's other music). Dutch born director,Jan Kounen ('Darshan:The Embrace','Renegade')directs from a screenplay written by Chris Greenhaulgh,adapted from his own novel of the same name. The film's striking cinematography is by David Ungaro,with editing by Anny Danck. The cast includes Anna Mouglais as Coco Chanel. Denmark's own Mads Mikkelsen as Igor Stravinsky,Yelena Morozova as Katya, and Grigori Manukov as Sergei Diaglev. With Clara Guelblum,Maxime Danielou,Sophie Hasson,Nikita Ponomarenko,and far too many more to mention here. I especially admired the creative use of expressionism to convey visual metaphors (Coco's abode is a wash of bold,striking washes of black & white in every room,while Mrs.Stravinsky favoured a more colourful motif,as exemplified by her use of red,gold,etc.) A film that is well worth seeking out,if you've always admired the creative and/or performing arts. Spoken in French & Russian with English subtitles,and a wee bit of English. Rated 'R' by the MPAA for some strong sexual content & nudity.