Loved it, but couldn't help but feel Keira Knightley ended up carrying the film solely on her shoulders. Could've been more~~

I’m ashamed to say that even with a honours undergrad degree in Literature and Theatre, I only had a dim recollection that there was a Colette in French literature. So, in many ways, this was an introduction to her. I’m sure that those steeped in her works might feel it glossed over her achievements or her talent, but for my novice exposure it was a solid base line. Keira Knightley played the scope of her ages well and Dominic West was convincing as a man who revelled in being the icon of an age no matter the cost to others. Today, he would have been seen as a pedophile, taking Colette in her early adolescent and recreating the experience with the girls who identified as the schoolgirl Claudine. I give this film an 8 (very good) out of 10. [Historical Drama]

What could be more exciting than a biopic about a controversial female writer which includes bisexuality, feminism and transsexuality? Sadly, not this film.

_Colette_, starring a competent Keira Knightley, takes all the fascinating aspects of the early years of France's most famous female writer and glosses over them in a terribly generic way. If you had sex with this _Colette_ movie, it would be in the missionary position with the lights out and without one gasp of pleasure or drop of sweat.

_Colette_, a film about a French icon filmed entirely in English, is a watered down absinthe served in a neighborhood pub where they don't really serve absinthe.

The good news is, I'm the only critic who feels this way about this one, so if you're at all interested in this film please see it and feel free to mock me incessantly.

I really liked _Colette_, which was also based on true events. It's about the French novelist Colette (Keira Knightley) who in the early 1900s was forced to write by her controlling husband, who took credit for her work.

Her journey from a humble background to being an author and so on, as well as how she changed as a person was really quite fascinating.

Keira Knightley stars is the biopic Colette, a mediocre period drama about one of France’s most influential female writers. The film follows Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, a young country girl, as she marries popular writer Henry “Willy” Gauthier-Villars, who introduces her to the libertine lifestyle and convinces her to ghostwrite for him, but eventually she grows tired of being in the shadows and attempt to chart her own path as a stage performer. Knightley, as usual, gives a strong performance, as does Dominic West. However, the script isn’t very good, particularly at developing the characters. In fact, the film seems more interested in pushing a political message about female empowerment and sexual liberation than exploring Colette’s relationship with Willy or her artistic passion (which seemingly comes out of nowhere). More agenda driven than character driven, Colette fails to get at the heart of who Colette really was or her accomplishments.

Pretty good movie about a guy - (chauvinistic pig perhaps?) that takes credit for her writing. I have no idea why other commentators are appalled that it was in English instead of French. If I wanted subtitles I'd read a book, not watch a movie!! Solid acting by Keira Knightley. 8/10 for the movie

I knew little about Colette going into this movie, so was intrigued and suprised by some of the events on the screen. Still, it seems to rush through her life and career, so it perhaps isn't as insightful as it could have been.

Colette was overdue for a first-class biopic. The film is aided by Keira Knightley’s stellar performance and this incredible true story. A pillar for French feminism, next: Alice Guy-Blachet.

The actors played their roles well, costuming and set design looked appropriate... but clearly this film wasn't for me, as I found it to be privileged, pretentious, high society, festishist bullshit. Yep, I think that about covers it.

**Wonderfully told and filled with excellent performances! Highly recommended.**

I want more films about Colette’s life. Witnessing Willy and Colette’s inner conflicts and arguments was very entertaining. While Willy’s support of Colette’s changing lifestyle and love life started out so well, his petty jealousy and manipulation of their wealth and fame was downright deplorable. Willy’s line about bad theatre was marvelous. This film was definitely not a bore.

>Willy: “Well, just remember… if a book bores you, you can throw it away. If a painting is garish, you close your eyes. Whereas bad theatre is like dentistry; you are compelled to stay in the chair, having your skull drilled, until the entire grizzly procedure is over.”