Film review: ‘HAUTE COUTURE’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’

French drama, Haute Couture is an admittedly sentimental but genuinely charming and at times moving story of second chances and reconciliation.  Set amid the highly skilled dressmakers of the elite French fashion house, Dior, the film also reveals a more working class element to the lofty elite world of high fashion that we don’t normally see.

The film centres on the revered but often harshly demanding head seamstress Esther (Nathalie Baye) who, after one final fashion show, is facing a forced retirement. Estranged from her daughter, her life is entirely bound up in her work and she fears the empty world awaiting her.  When her handbag is stolen on the Paris Metro but later returned by Jade (Lyna Khoudry) a young Arabic woman from the housing projects, rather than have her arrested, Esther takes her on as an apprentice seamstress. Inducting the troubled hard nut Jade into the world of high fashion proves no easy task, though. While Jade shows a nascent talent for the craft, her fractious relationship with Esther frequently threatens to derail both their chances at finding some sort of peace in their life.

More than a fashion industry drama, this is an exploration of a surrogate mother-daughter relationship. As the odd couple, Esther and Jade, Baye and Khoudry are both wonderful and have a thoroughly believable relationship and touching on-screen chemistry. Khoury, who at times reminds us of Jessica Alba, convinces as a rebel battling intense personal disappointments who hides sensitivity beneath a hard exterior. As Esther, Baye has a potent mix of introspection and toughness as well as a genuine love for her craft as a seamstress.

The film also benefits from strong supporting performances including Soumaye Bocoum as Jade’s cynical friend, Souad and Pascale Arbillot as Esther’s good-natured but self-doubting second-in-command, Catherine who embraces the young wayward Jade.

While this film is mostly about relationships it also alludes to cultural divisions between westerners and Arabic people in France. As a young woman with Arabic heritage, Jade is frequently treated with derision in the street and in the workshop, especially by the spiteful Andree (Claude Perron), the fashion house’s resident bully.  There seemed to be the threads of a subplot possibly giving Andree’s back story that weren’t developed or may have been snipped out.

Tonally, the film is a slightly odd mix. Shot in gauzy muted colours, it has quite a dour tone but one that’s often infused with wry humour. It takes a little getting used to but for the most part it works and some of the more comical scenes are memorable.  A sequence where Esther goes all Mr Blackwell on some distastefully attired teenage troublemakers on the train is a particular highlight.

This low-key film won’t be to all tastes but most viewers should enjoy its warmth and humanity.

Nick’s rating: ***1/2

Genre: Drama/ Action/ Adventure/ Animation.

Classification: M.

Director(s): Sylvie Ohayon.

Release date: 11th June 2022.

Running time: 101 mins.

Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.

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