It will win an Oscar (in my least-favorite category): Coco Before Chanel

It would probably have taken a miracle to get me to like "Coco Before Chanel," and miracles didn't happen, though I admit that for anyone who is really interested in fashion this movie would be pretty interesting, at least to look at. Personally, there are two domains of art and culture that I am completely indifferent to, even blind to: fashion and dance. I don't acknowledge them. I skip the sections in the newspaper. I will probably never read a book, an article, or a review about these topics. That said, I will probably watch a movie about almost anything, so I was willing to give it a go. A kind of litmus test for me in biographical film (or fiction) is: would this story be interesting if the protagonist were entirely fictional? Sometimes, it's yes, resoundingly (e.g., Citizen Kane, Fear Strikes Out, Ray). Admittedly, that brief list may tell more about my personal interests - I have enjoyed even horrible movies about topics I'm really interested in (Masked and Anonymous, e.g.). But I really think Coco Before Chanel just went through the motions. The story of her early life was choppy and unengaging. It never drew me into the pathos she experienced, and I never really understood her great drive and her talent. Her success seemed to come from nowhere; she could just as likely have become a talented amateur milliner, it seemed. That said, there are some praiseworthy elements to the story. First, it very effectively handled the ambiguity of Coco's social climbing (she pretty much shows up at the doorstep of a wealthy admirer and lives with him as his mistress): her "keeper" (Etienne) is by no means all bad or boorish though he can be crude at times, and Coco herself is by no means saintly or pathetic, as she knows exactly what kind of relation she's getting into and how it can benefit her through social connections and comforts. The class relations are handled very well - including some excellent scenes of Coco dining among the servants. Audrey Toutou is always great to watch. And finally the production values are very strong. Though (see above) I don't pay much attention to this category, I bet it wins the Oscar for costume design - a real challenge for the costumier to show both the high (and low) styles of the era and how Coco's own designs emerged, and even my ignorant eye could tell that the costumes were perfectly matched to the film, the era, and the characters.