Venus Beauty Institute (1999)

60% of critics liked it
(25 reviews)
47% of users liked it
(3,777 ratings)

A visually stylish comedy with dramatic overtones from director Tonie Marshall, Vénus Beauté (Institut) looks at the lives of three women who work at a small but successful beauty salon. Angele Nathalie Baye is an attractive woman just edging into middle age who is looking for companionship without… More A visually stylish comedy with dramatic overtones from director Tonie Marshall, Vénus Beauté (Institut) looks at the lives of three women who work at a small but successful beauty salon. Angele Nathalie Baye is an attractive woman just edging into middle age who is looking for companionship without commitment, even when it comes knocking. Her co-worker Samantha (Mathilde Seigner) has more boyfriends than she knows what to do with, and Marie (Audrey Tautou), the youngest of the group, is still learning the ropes of both love and beauty treatment. Fans of classic French cinema will want to keep an eye peeled for guest appearances from Emmanuelle Riva, Micheline Presle and Edith Scob. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Tonie Marshall
Written By: Tonie Marshall, Marion Vernoux, Jacques Audiard
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 12, 2000 Wide
On DVD: Jun 26, 2001
Studio: Lot 47 Films

Critic Reviews

Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
While almost aggressively French in tone and style, nonetheless an affecting, if fragile and flawed, meditation on the realities of romance and aging.
Brandon Judell, Detour Magazine
Tonie Marshall's captured the tender yearnings, wistful aches, and the sticky confrontation of aging far better than even Estee Lauder could.
Oz, eFilmCritic.com
It's not as if Baye's not great at displaying relationship disfunctionality, it's just that you can only thump the pillow so many times before it gets old.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Director Tonie Marshall turns in a lightweight, enjoyable film where love wins out over all.
Ryan Cracknell, Apollo Guide
My biggest problem with Venus Beauty Institute is the mixed messages that it sends.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Leigh R

Rather boring but okay enough to get through.
Curtis L

Very very slow and boring. About a slutty old chick who works in a beauty salon, and Audrey Tautou has sex with an old fat guy on a pool table.
FanGirl B

How this film won any awards is beyond me. It's just a normal romantic comedy, but Samuel LeBihan sure is sexy.