COLETTE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

The beginning of the year can be an awkward time for new releases as it’s filled with films that are Oscar-worthy that will, most likely, be seen by a wide audience and films that will be overlooked, both by the Academy and audiences. Colette, despite being the latter, is a solid drama that is worth watching for Keira Knightley’s impressive performance as the titular character and Colette’s interesting true story that this is based on.

After marrying a successful Parisian writer known commonly as "Willy" (Dominic West), Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (Keira Knightley) is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendor of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him. She pens a semi-autobiographical novel about a witty and brazen country girl named Claudine, sparking a bestseller and a cultural sensation. After its success, Colette and Willy become the talk of Paris and their adventures inspire additional Claudine novels. Colette's fight over creative ownership and gender roles drives her to overcome societal constraints, revolutionizing literature, fashion and sexual expression.

For those with little to no knowledge of who Colette was or why she’s an important figure in history, Wash Westmoreland’s feature provides an introduction to her and a superficial understanding of some of the driving forces in her life and writing. The narrative spans across 20 years so, at times, it does feel a bit rushed as the runtime is just under two hours long. I think that, if Colette had a longer runtime, her story would’ve had more time to develop. Westmoreland captures the important aspects of her life including her marriage to Willy, who took credit for her writing, which serves as the main plot. After watching her husband be praised for her work, Colette asks to be credited, however, her husband refuses. This creates tension in their relationship. We then see Colette take an interest in dancing and forming a relationship with transsexual man, Missy (Denise Gough), much to Willy’s annoyance. She even begins wearing men’s clothing, which was unheard of in the late 18th century and early 19th century.

The appeal of Colette is easy to understand as its title character was a radical feminist in a time when women’s contributions were typically overlooked or dismissed. With so many big releases coming out, I can understand why people may not bother to watch Colette however, it’s better than your average historical drama and I found the story to be very interesting. During this time, women were seen as wives and mothers and nothing more than that. There was a lot of pressure on them to be perfect at being both and they had to dress a certain way. Colette went against society’s ideal woman by wearing men’s clothing, forming a relationship with a transsexual man and having a job as an exotic dancer. I find this refreshing as, in too many films, women are one-dimensional love interests for the male character so I enjoy films when women are portrayed in a more real way and aren’t perfect individuals.

Knightley’s filmography consists of roles in period dramas, including Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, Anna Karenina and The Duchess, which is probably where she’s at her best and most comfortable. She gives an impressive performance as Colette and captures her fierce personality and, through her performance, we understand why Colette was an important figure in history whose story deserves to be told on the big screen. Solid supporting roles come from West as Willy, Eleanor Tomlinson as Georgie, an American woman with whom Colette and Willy both briefly have an affair with (without either of them knowing) and Denise Gough as Missy, the transsexual man Colette forms a close relationship with.
Westmoreland's previous feature, Still Alice, which was released in 2014, was a success both with critics and at the Academy Awards, earning Julianne Moore her first Oscar for her performance. He co-directed the feature with his husband, Richard Glatzer, who passed away in 2015. Before his death, Glatzer co-wrote the screenplay with Westmoreland and it's a shame that he didn't get to see the finished product, however, Colette is dedicated to him.
While I doubt Colette will be recognised by the Academy, I think that it's worth seeing by a wide audiences, especially those that enjoy dramas based on true stories and fans of Keira Knightley won't be disappointed as she gives an impressive performance as Colette, an inspiring figure whose story is never anything less than interesting.
7/10