Tue, May 26, 2009
Adapted from two of Collette’s novels, Stephen Frears’ “Chéri” stars Michelle Pfeiffer as an aging prostitute who embarks on a long affair with the youthful title character (Rupert Friend); Kathy Bates costars as Chéri’s mother. “I liked that on the surface it’s bubbly, but underneath it’s quite tragic,” Frears says of the story, which layers social satire with romantic tragedy. As for casting Pfeiffer as a woman on the wrong side of youth, “You need someone who has been one of the great beauties of the world and is still beautiful,” says the director. “She was very courageous about it.” (June 26)
