Concrete Playground

Coco Avant Chanel is not a film about fashion. Instead, Anne Fontaine’s film seeks to gain traction in a time where the legend of Coco has been overshadowed by her famous initials, eschewing a sartorial focus in order to reveal the character underneath.

The making of the womenswear icon unfolds in richly decorative episodes; we see Coco abandoned as a child, forced (albeit with little loss of dignity) into the role of a courtesan and, finally, left to her own devices as the infamous Mademoiselle. Audrey Tautou brings femininity to title role, as well a little brutishness and an innate comprehension of the French aesthetic.

At times, the film feels stalled by its attempts to draw out glimpses of the popularly recognizable Coco, stony-faced and smoking, from the lively young woman onscreen. However, it is true for all matters concerning Chanel that recognition is key, and Coco Avant Chanel falls just on the right side of the logo-covered surfboard.