Audrey Tautou is actually quite impressive here as the legendary French designer, but the rest of this rather blandly photographed melodrama is really more about her love life than her career. She's born Gabrielle and having left the orphanage in which she was abandoned with sister Adrienne (Marie Gillain), takes a job as a seamstress and supplements that with some cabaret work. Clearly she has skill - at both, but…
Before she was France's famous mademoiselle…
Several years after leaving the orphanage, to which her father never returned for her, Gabrielle Chanel finds herself working in a provincial bar. She's both a seamstress for the performers and a singer, earning the nickname Coco from the song she sings nightly with her sister. A liaison with Baron Balsan gives her an entree into French society and a chance to develop her gift for designing.
Top Cast
Audrey Tautou
Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel
Benoît Poelvoorde
Étienne Balsan
Alessandro Nivola
Arthur 'Boy' Capel
Marie Gillain
Adrienne Chanel
Emmanuelle Devos
Émilienne d'Alençon
Régis Royer
Alec, Jockey
Étienne Bartholomeus
Balsan Butler
Yan Duffas
Maurice de Nexon
Fabien Béhar
Shop Boss
Roch Leibovici
Jean, Groom
Jean-Yves Chatelais
Bellowing Director
Pierre Diot
Actor in the Theater
Vincent Nemeth
Fat Man in the Theater
Bruno Abraham-Kremer
Tailor in Deauville
Lisa Cohen
Gabrielle Chanel, 10 Years Old
Inès Bessalem
Adrienne Chanel, 10 Years Old
Reviews
FAQ about Coco Before Chanel
What is Coco Before Chanel about?
Several years after leaving the orphanage, to which her father never returned for her, Gabrielle Chanel finds herself working in a provincial bar. She's both a seamstress for the performers and a singer, earning the nickname Coco from the song she sings nightly with her sister.…
When was Coco Before Chanel released?
Coco Before Chanel was released in 2009.
What genres does Coco Before Chanel belong to?
Coco Before Chanel is categorised as Drama, History.
Who stars in Coco Before Chanel?
The cast of Coco Before Chanel includes Audrey Tautou, Benoît Poelvoorde, Alessandro Nivola, Marie Gillain, Emmanuelle Devos.