Here, Coco's cast as a femme fatale who preys on a helpless nebbish--the Audrey Tautou--starring "Coco Avant Chanel" was much more fun.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
New York Daily News by Joe Neumaier
Where the film fails, ironically, is in the central love affair. Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen is undeniably gifted, but his Stravinsky is a blank, stoic presence only comfortable at a piano.
On a dramatic level, Dutch-born helmer Jan Kounen's hyper-stylized, emotionally vacuous film is like a pair of designer pants that look great but don't fit, or a rare vinyl recording that keeps skipping at the best parts.
The Hollywood Reporter by Kirk Honeycutt
There are so many guilty pleasures here that it's amazing the film is as good as it is. The passions feel real, the roles are fully inhabited and the art speaks for itself.
Entertainment Weekly by Lisa Schwarzbaum
The movie, by Dutch director Jan Kounen, is all surfaces, set pieces, Significant Looks, and voguing -- the same strictures Chanel and Stravinsky sought to bust.
Despite an admirable mastery of both Russian and French, Mikkelsen has no shot at making a proud (Russian!) musical genius a believably lovesick puppy.
Everything works miraculously here, making Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky one of the most bountiful experiences of the year.
The New York Times by Stephen Holden
Never regains that initial blast of energy and the final scenes wobble toward a wishy-washy ending.