Saint Laurent
An impressionistic portrait of Yves Saint Laurent at the height of his fashion empire, where artistic brilliance, queer desire, and private excess coexist uneasily.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- sensuous
- witty
- arthouse movie night
- fashion film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film visually and psychologically ambitious, with strong performances and detailed atmosphere undermined by a diffuse, overextended biographical structure.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Runway collections, studio work, lavish interiors, and carefully composed tableaux externalize Yves Saint Laurent's creative and emotional states.
The period of professional triumph is placed alongside Saint Laurent's troubled relationships, drug use, nightlife, and psychological vulnerability.
Saint Laurent's relationship with Pierre Bergé and his bond with Jacques de Bascher unfold within 1960s and 1970s gay social and fashion circles.
The film focuses on Saint Laurent's 1967-1976 period through a diffuse swirl of moods and detailed episodes instead of conventional exposition.
Films like Saint Laurent, and why
Coco Before Chanel
stylized fashion-world biopic with an intimate focus on creative ambition, sexuality, and self-destructive glamour
The Danish Girl
psychologically immersive artist biopic exploring fame, desire, creative obsession, and a volatile private life
A Single Man
lgbtq+ period drama centered on a charismatic creative figure, social constraint, and complicated intimacy
The Last Emperor
ambitious European biographical drama using sumptuous design and fractured mood to examine an artist's inner life
Movie Details
- Director
- Bertrand Bonello
- Release Date
- 2014-09-23
- Runtime
- 150 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (309)
Cast
- Gaspard Ulliel
- Jérémie Renier
- Louis Garrel
- Léa Seydoux
- Aymeline Valade
- Amira Casar
- Micha Lescot
- Helmut Berger
- Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
- Valérie Donzelli
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Saint Laurent about?
- An impressionistic portrait of Yves Saint Laurent at the height of his fashion empire, where artistic brilliance, queer desire, and private excess coexist uneasily.
- What is Saint Laurent like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Saint Laurent as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Saint Laurent violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Saint Laurent.
- What did critics think of Saint Laurent?
- Critics broadly found the film visually and psychologically ambitious, with strong performances and detailed atmosphere undermined by a diffuse, overextended biographical structure.
- Which films are like Saint Laurent?
- Films with a similar feel include Coco Before Chanel, The Danish Girl, A Single Man, and The Last Emperor.
- How long is Saint Laurent?
- Saint Laurent runs 150 minutes.
- Where can I watch Saint Laurent?
- In United States, Saint Laurent is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
