Venus Beauty (1999)
"Vénus beauté (institut)" (original title)

Employees of a beauty parlor in search of love and happiness.

Director:

Tonie Marshall

Writers:

Tonie Marshall (screenplay), Tonie Marshall (dialogue),

Stars:

Nathalie Baye, Bulle Ogier, Samuel Le Bihan

8 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nathalie Baye	...	Angèle Piana
Bulle Ogier	...	Madame Nadine, la patronne
Samuel Le Bihan	...	Antoine DuMont
Jacques Bonnaffé	...	Jacques
Mathilde Seigner	...	Samantha
Audrey Tautou	...	Marie
Robert Hossein	...	L'aviateur
Marie Rivière	...	La cliente aux bottines fourées
Edith Scob	...	La cliente aux taches sur les mains
Hélène Fillières	...	La fiancée d'Antoine (as Hélène Filières)
Brigitte Roüan	...	Madame Marianne
Claire Nebout	...	La cliente exhibitioniste
Micheline Presle	...	Tante Maryse
Emmanuelle Riva	...	Tante Lyda
Elli Medeiros	...	Mlle Evelyne

Storyline

Madam Nadine manages with pride the "Vénus beauté" Salon which offers relaxation, massage and make-up services. The owner and her three beauticians: Samantha, Marianne and Angèle are pros. Contrary to her friend Marianne, who still dreams of the big day, Angèle no longer believes in love. Marie, the youngest of the three employees, discovers love in the hands of a sixty year-old former pilot, who risks everything...

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Plot Keywords:

love | sex | christmas | new year's eve | loneliness | 

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Taglines:

Welcome to the Venus Beauty Institute where love, innocence and sex are a sight to behold.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality/nudity and language

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

3 February 1999 (France)

Also Known As:

Venus Beauty Institute

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$32,150 (USA) (27 October 2000)

Gross:

$416,464 (USA) (21 September 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Agat Films & Cie, arte France Cinéma, Tabo Tabo Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Angele: When you smile I find you handsome.
Jacques: That's because you know my soul.

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Connections

Followed by Venus and Apollo (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Le premier bonheur du jour"
Lyrics by Frank Gérald
Music by Jean Renard
Performed by Françoise Hardy (1963 BMG Vogue)

User Reviews

When a Middle Age Woman Finds Love Again

In Paris, Angèle (Nathalie Baye) is a beautician working in the beauty parlor 'Venus Beauty Institute', owned by Natalie (Bulle Ogier). Her colleagues are Samantha (Mathilde Seigner) and Marie (Audrey Tautou) and they have a good relationship in the salon. Angèle has an emotional problem with men and she does not believe in love anymore. Her affairs happen by chance with strangers and she seems to have the gift of choosing wrong guys for one night stand. Angèle meets Antoine (Samuel Le Bihan), a sculptor who has a crush with her, but the bitter and heartbroken Angèle has problems to believe on his love. I liked this romance about a heartbroken middle age woman finding love again. First, because of the great performance of the beautiful Nathalie Baye, who was fifty-one years old in 1999. The gorgeous Audrey 'Amélie Poulain' Tautou and Mathilde Seigner are collyrium for the eyes of the male viewers, being another attraction. The story has some ups and downs, with some shallow situations, like the exhibitionist client who walks naked in the beauty shop, but the balance is very positive. The story ends like a fairy tale and is enjoyable. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): 'Instituto de Beleza Venus' ('Venus Beauty Institute')