Coco Before Chanel, according to IMDb, tells the "story of Coco Chanel's rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world." She is played by Audrey Tautou, and she brings a disarmingly innocent smile to a fiercely independent yet loyal woman. She befriends the rich but ugly Balsan (Poelvoorde) before befriending the rich and handsome Boy (Nivola). All the pieces are there--the acting is pitch-perfect, the cinematography and editing were precise, and the ending is beautiful--but it didn't feel as gripping or riveting as I was hoping it would be. Maybe it was because I saw it at 11pm after an exciting Bulls game and some expensive cheap beer (I did in fact nod off for the last 15 minutes, although I watched those final 15 minutes again the next morning), but there was something very bland and boring about this story that I can't quite put my finger on. The whole affair just seemed subdued and formal instead of spicy and fresh. I wanted a little more vivacity and vibrancy for this kind of a story. As it stands, I wasn't too terribly impressed. It works on many levels, just not the ones I needed it to work on.
IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1035736/