I didn’t care too much for the story but as always, I enjoyed watching Kathy Bates; she has mastered the art of delivering zingers.

the dvd was so damaged it would not play...

Chéri is empty, shallow, immoral. Well, being that it is based on Colette's work, it is not surprising it presents immorality as a virtue... Miss Pfeifer is beautiful, as always--just a bit too thin--in the perfectly tailored fin-de-siécle costumes, and comfortably embodies the emptiness and lack of morals that is a constant in Colette's works. Rupert Friend, an actor I don't really like, looks SO effeminate, there was a close-up scene showing his face, I thought for a few seconds it was a woman's. The dialogues are vapid and rehearsed, trying to convey the carelessness of the empty characters. Worth watching ONLY for the absolutely gorgeous and perfect Art-Nouveau set and costumes.

Visually beautiful movie with its Art Nouveau costumes and locations set during the Belle Epoch before WWI. Excellent casting of actors playing the various characters, starting with Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Friend and Kathy Bates. I can't imagine any other actress in this role but Ms. Pfeiffer with the perfect balance of beauty, maturity and intelligence. This story is about a group of misfits- aging courtesans and their children-who fit in neither the upper nor lower classes-and therefore have only each other for company. Their survival has always depended upon the "upper class" and they have adopted many of their biases and social conventions (arranged marriage, an older female courtesan to "mature" a son before he's married, etc.) even though they have more opportunities to exercise their freedom outside of social classes...and they miss out on opportunities for happiness and love. Sadly, their ingrained competitiveness precludes them from offering real support to each other, leaving them alone in their gilded cages.

Lots of awesome Art Nouveau eye candy.