Cheri

Last weekend, I ventured out of the apartment a couple of times. Once was to see a production of Reefer Madness: The Musical in downtown Fullerton. I went with N and R, and we all had a lot of laughs, and N and I had a few mojitos afterward to make the day even more enjoyable. The theater where the musical is being staged is one of the hardest to find I have ever encountered, but as I tell people who are trying to find my apartment for the first time, once you've been there, it's easier.

On Sunday, I went with a friend to see the movie Cheri. It's only playing in one theater here in Los Angeles (if it's still playing, that is). It's based upon a Colette story, and it features a luminous performance by Michelle Pfeiffer. It's been a while since she has starred in a film. The last time I saw her on screen was in a supporting role in Hairspray. It was such a delight to watch her be the center of attention again. She deserves it.

The plot, as with many films based upon works by Colette (think Gigi), is simple. An older woman falls in love with a younger man, only to have her heart broken by him when he chooses (is forced to choose, really) marriage with another woman, someone closer in age to himself. That's really the whole movie. Yet what Pfeiffer accomplishes is a master class in acting. She has moments where she doesn't speak, yet every emotion is evident on her face and not in some ham-fisted way, either. She is masterful at expressing herself in subtle ways. There's one close-up in this film that is just as memorable as the final close-up of Glenn Close in Dangerous Liaisons. You have to experience it yourself--preferably on a large screen--to appreciate it fully. Any description of it wouldn't do justice to its impact.

Speaking of that earlier film, which also starred Pfeiffer, it's the same team of director Stephen Frears and writer Christopher Hampton who created Cheri. They've given their star some great material here, especially the discussions about growing older and how people react to you as you "mature." I couldn't help thinking that moments like those were directed at the Hollywood studios, with their insistence on new, young, "fresh" stars and their habitual abandonment of some of the more talented performers. And Pfeiffer only brings greater resonance to those moments because she is just as stunningly beautiful as ever.

By the way, Cheri is not the name of Pfeiffer's character. That's actually Lea de Lonval. Cheri is the young man, the son of one of Lea's fellow courtesans. To be honest, I didn't quite see what anyone saw in him. He's played by Rupert Friend, who is, I suppose, attractive enough, but his character is such a twit. I know that he's meant to be representative of a certain type of young man common to the Belle Epoque, so I guess I should just be grateful that that period ended quickly.

It might be a bit of a challenge to find Cheri in a theater near you, but it's worth the effort for Pfeiffer's performance. I doubt very many people will get to see this movie, and that's a shame. It's only playing in art house theaters, and the audiences are rather small. Maybe a dozen or so people saw it when we did. Anyone who doesn't take the opportunity to catch this film is missing out on my early favorite for the best female performance this year.