Angelina Jolie brings her A-game to Couture, a new drama set in the high-stakes world of Paris Fashion Week. But even her emotionally bare performance can't salvage a film that feels as hollow as a mannequin. Premiering at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, the movie attempts to skewer both the fashion and film industries, yet ends up offering little more than a muddled critique.
What Is 'Couture' About?
Jolie plays Maxine, an indie filmmaker known for her transgressive, gritty vampire movies. She's hired to direct a promotional short for Paris Fashion Week—a gig she clearly despises. Maxine is juggling a divorce that has strained her relationship with her teenage daughter, a passion project about to enter production, and mounting bills. Her tattoos, left visible, give her an edge that speaks volumes. She dismisses fashion as "useless but necessary," but the paycheck is too good to refuse.
Then a doctor's call changes everything: Maxine has breast cancer and needs immediate surgery. This revelation forces her to confront the vanity and superficiality surrounding her, but the script never lets her fully grapple with the emotional fallout. Jolie, however, infuses Maxine with a quiet maturity, avoiding the expected meltdown. Her performance is the film's sole anchor.
A Cast Wasted
The supporting characters are little more than stereotypes. There's a model from South Sudan (Anyier Anei) handpicked by Maxine, a seamstress (Garance Marillier) who treats scissors like a samurai's katana, and a makeup artist (Ella Rumpf) peddling a tell-all. Louis Garrel appears as Maxine's cinematographer, reduced to a sexual object. None of them have meaningful interactions with Maxine, making the film feel disjointed. The English dialogue often sounds poorly translated, especially in scenes without Jolie.
A Failed Critique
Couture wants to criticize the fashion industry and the film business, but it doesn't have much to say about either. Director Alice Winocour, who has made memorable films about complex women, here delivers a story that undermines itself. Maxine exists in a bubble, isolated by both the narrative and her diagnosis. The movie isn't entirely useless, but it's far from necessary. For a more emotionally devastating experience, check out The 10 Most Emotionally Devastating Drama Films Ever Made, Ranked.
Ultimately, Couture is a missed opportunity. Jolie's performance deserves a better vehicle—one that doesn't get lost in its own contradictions. As it stands, the film is a shallow look at two industries that could use a sharper critique.
