“She heard her heart beating in her voice and dared not risk more than the shortest answers.” That sentence, from Colette’s Chéri, published in 1920, could have been written yesterday. Keira Knightley elects to underplay the titular writer, in contrast to Dominic West, as her first husband, who is an exhausting whirlwind of bluster. In fairness, his character is I guess supposed to be like that, but it does get a bit wearing after a while. Although the film is well-made, and immaculately photographed, the makers seem most concerned with highlighting Colette’s sexual interest in women, as though that would explain anything about her abilities as an artist. To be sure, films about writers never really shed any light on the creative process – but this one is just aching to put its political points center stage.
FATAL VISIONS 