Colette is a magnificent biopic about Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, one of France’s most famous authors and a cultural icon whose life was as exciting as her writing. The movie, directed by Wash Westmoreland and starring Keira Knightley, follows her early years in Paris, her complicated first marriage, and the development of her literary voice and sexual identity in a culture that tried to control both.
In late 19th-century France, the young and spirited Gabrielle Colette leaves her rural home to marry Henry Gauthier-Villars, known in Paris as “Willy” — a charismatic writer and notorious libertine 14 years her senior.
When Willy’s debts pile up, he discovers Colette’s gift for storytelling and persuades her to write semi-autobiographical novels based on her school days. The result, Claudine at School, is an instant literary sensation — but published under his name. Three more Claudine novels follow, each bringing fame and fortune to Willy while Colette remains officially uncredited.
Willy locks her in a room to force her to write, but also encourages her to explore experiences — including romantic and sexual relationships with women — to inspire her work. Their marriage becomes an “open” one, with both taking lovers, yet their deepest tie is economic: Colette’s talent is the foundation of Willy’s livelihood.
As Colette’s confidence grows, she rebels against Willy’s control, finding both personal and artistic independence. She takes to the stage with her lover, the cross-dressing Marquise de Belbeuf, scandalizing audiences by wearing revealing costumes and kissing another woman on stage. Eventually, Colette divorces Willy and reclaims the rights to her work, setting the stage for the rest of her groundbreaking career.
Colette Cast
Charactor
A rural-born writer whose talent and independence reshape French literature and culture.
Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley is a British actress acclaimed for Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, and The Imitation Game. In Colette, she balances period-drama poise with flashes of rebellion, though her English manner occasionally overshadows the French setting.
A Parisian writer, bon vivant, and Colette’s first husband, who capitalizes on her talent for his own gain.
Dominic West
Dominic West, known for The Wire and The Affair, brings charisma and moral slipperiness to Willy, making him both magnetic and maddening.
An aristocratic cross-dressing woman who becomes Colette’s lover and stage partner, embodying defiance of gender norms.
Denise Gough
Denise Gough is an Irish actress celebrated for her stage work and roles in People, Places & Things and Paula.
Colette’s strong-willed mother, whose pragmatism and advice shape her daughter’s resolve.
Fiona Shaw
Fiona Shaw is renowned for Killing Eve, Harry Potter, and extensive stage work.
Director
Wash Westmoreland
Wash Westmoreland is an English filmmaker known for Still Alice and Quinceañera. His work often centers on identity, resilience, and social change. With Colette, he crafts a polished, accessible period piece that celebrates its subject’s boldness while staying within the comforts of heritage cinema.
BEST SCENES
📍 Colette’s first literary triumph, watching Claudine at School take Paris by storm — and realizing her name is missing from the cover.
📍 The on-stage kiss with the Marquise de Belbeuf, met with gasps, shouts, and scandalized outrage.
📍 The long-take confrontation with Willy, where Colette’s controlled fury dismantles his pretensions.
📍 Colette carving Willy’s name into glass early in their marriage — and the bitter irony of erasing him later.
Colette Review
Review
Story – 4/5
The film smartly focuses on the most formative 16 years of Colette’s life, from her arrival in Paris to her break from Willy. These years contain rich material — the transformation from a naïve country girl into a confident, self-determined woman — yet the narrative often feels more like a chronological scrapbook than a deep psychological portrait. The events are fascinating, but moments for inner reflection are scarce.
Acting – 4.5/5
Keira Knightley delivers a sharp, intelligent performance, especially in the climactic confrontation where Colette challenges Willy’s entitlement. Her delivery of long, impassioned lines is magnetic. Dominic West captures Willy’s blend of charm, opportunism, and shamelessness. However, the quintessentially British accents and mannerisms occasionally dilute the “Frenchness” of the story.
Chemistry – 4/5
Knightley’s Colette and Denise Gough’s Marquise de Belbeuf share a sly, sensual energy that makes their scenes together sparkle. The chemistry between Colette and Willy is more combative than romantic — fitting for a marriage that was both collaborative and exploitative.
Production – 4.5/5
From the salons of Paris to the Moulin Rouge, the film is visually sumptuous. Costume design vividly evokes fin-de-siècle fashion, and the set decoration immerses viewers in the Belle Époque. Still, the polished BBC-period-drama style can feel overly safe for a subject as transgressive as Colette.
Ending – 4/5
The final scenes — Colette performing on stage, defying public outrage, and separating from Willy — leave a sense of triumph. Yet the film stops short of showing the full breadth of her later achievements, making this chapter feel like an origin story rather than a complete portrait.
💬 My Take
What resonates most is Colette’s refusal to be diminished. She endures a marriage that is equal parts opportunity and oppression, navigating the hypocrisy of a man who locks her up to write yet urges her to take lovers for “inspiration.” Her sexual relationships with women — tender, playful, and unapologetic — feel like both personal liberation and artistic fuel.
I loved the moment where Colette, in a single long take, delivers a verbal takedown of Willy’s shallow greed. In those few minutes, Keira Knightley fully is Colette — articulate, impassioned, and unwilling to concede her worth.
Still, I wished the film lingered more on her inner life: the private calculations before each choice, the quiet moments when her mind was made up. Without them, her transformation feels less like a continuous evolution and more like a series of external events.
Colette Information
Awards & Nominations
Colette (2018) did not dominate major award ceremonies like the Oscars, but it gained significant recognition in the independent film circuit and among LGBTQ film critics:
British Independent Film Awards 2018
Nominated: Best Actress (Keira Knightley)
Nominated: Best Costume Design (Andrea Flesch)
Satellite Awards 2018
Nominated: Best Actress (Keira Knightley)
Nominated: Best Costume Design
GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics – Dorian Awards 2019
Nominated: LGBTQ Film of the Year
Nominated: Biopic/Historical Film of the Year
Palm Springs International Film Festival 2019
Official Gala Screening Selection
Sundance Film Festival 2018
World Premiere (Premiere Section)
While Colette did not sweep mainstream awards, it was praised within the indie film world for Keira Knightley’s performance, its lavish costume design, and its unapologetic portrayal of female authorship, sexual freedom, and queer identity.