Heavy-handed direction stalls 'Cheri'

CHERI — ★★ — Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Friend, Kathy Bates; rated R (vulgarity, sex, drugs, nudity, slurs, violence); Broadway Centre

It's easy to see why "Cheri" got made.

The idea was to reteam "Dangerous Liaisons" star Michelle Pfeiffer, screenwriter Christopher Hampton and director Stephen Frears, in a movie project that was just similar enough to that beloved, 1988 film.

But repeating that earlier success is not as easy as it seems.

The source material for this 1920s-era drama — Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette's novels — demands a light touch, and at times, Frears has become less than subtle. It certainly doesn't help that he has one of the most unlikable, petulant title characters in recent cinematic history.

He's Fred Peloux, played by Rupert Friend. Fred, or "Cheri," is the spoiled-rich son of wealthy, retired courtesan Madame Charlotte Peloux (Kathy Bates).

Fearing that Cheri's hard-partying ways will be the death of him, Charlotte enlists the help of fellow courtesan Lea de Lonval (Pfeiffer). Lea has always been a mother figure of sorts to Cheri, and Charlotte is hoping she will be able to make a man out of him.

Instead, the two become lovers, and together, they settle into a decadent and seemingly self-destructive lifestyle.

So the desperate Charlotte makes other plans. She schemes to marry off Cheri to Edmee (Felicity Jones), the daughter of another rich, professional "working woman," Marie Laure (Iben Hjelje).

Frears and Hampton are never able to balance the dramatic and comic elements, and the film feels dour and unpleasant.

That's only worsened by Alexander Desplat's abrasive score, which keeps reinforcing the forced comic tone, just in case you didn't understand that you were supposed to be amused.

Still, Pfeiffer and Bates are game. The scenes featuring the two are the most watchable.

Unfortunately, they often take a backseat to Friend, who makes Cheri an unsympathetic jerk. We're not really interested in seeing him find happiness.

"Cheri" is rated R and features suggestive language and references (slang and innuendo), simulated sex and other sexual contact, drug use and references (narcotics), partial male nudity and glimpses of nude paintings and artwork, derogatory language and slurs, and some brief boxing violence. Running time: 92 minutes.

E-mail: jeff@desnews.com