Directed by:
Stephen FrearsScreenplay:
Christopher HamptonCinematography:
Darius KhondjiComposer:
Alexandre DesplatCast:
Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Friend, Kathy Bates, Felicity Jones, Tom Burke, Anita Pallenberg, Harriet Walter, Iben Hjejle, Toby Kebbell, Stephen Frears (more)Plots(1)
The movie tells the story of the love affair between the beautiful retired courtesan Léa (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Chéri (Rupert Friend) the son of her old colleague and rival, Madame Peloux (Kathy Bates). Léa has educated the spoilt and callow boy in the ways of love, but after six years Madame Peloux has secretly arranged a marriage between Chéri and Edmée (Felicity Jones), daughter of another rich courtesan. As the inevitable moment of parting approaches, Léa and Chéri try to come to terms with their imminent separation, but the roots of their life of ease and pleasure reach deeper than even they imagine and they begin to understand, too late, how much they mean to one another. (Pathé Distribution UK)
(more)Reviews (2)
Sweetheart is a historic delicacy about whores, or if you prefer, courtesans, and one spoiled dandy who calls himself Chéri and is brilliantly played by Rupert Friend. Nevertheless, I can't say anything bad about Michelle Pfeiffer either. She delivers a beautiful performance here, even though in a film that has a nice setting but a typical storyline. However, it was the ending that intrigued me the most, when I realized that the final scene is one of those without emotional and raw scenes, of which there are not many, and I always have to think about them after the end.
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This is an absolute GUILTY PLEASURE. Every shot is a delight, and every idea and sentence is joy and satisfaction. I cannot believe that the previous versions were better. Michelle Pfeiffer did very well not to take early retirement from acting before the age of 50. After an enjoyable comedy, a musical, and a blockbuster, her role of a lifetime on the cusp of a new age is Lea de Lonval, the lovelorn courtesan, and I'm rooting for her like never before. I also have to watch out for Rupert Friend, who seems to be the new crown prince of historical films.
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