La Vie en Rose (2007)

Overrated

Brilliant and touching

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Marion Cotillard's performance was unlike any other she has done, or anyone else for that matter. I can only think of a handful of other performances of the same caliber, one is Charlize Theron in Monster (2003). I don't actually know the real Edith Piaf very well, but that doesn't matter. The movie's screenplay and performance are key to it's greatness. The characters, especially Edith, are so well written and deeply explored. I believe the most important scene in the movie which highlights Cotillard's performance and Isabelle Sobelman's and Olivier Dahan's witty storytelling and direction is Edith's breakdown in December 13, 1959. From this scene we immediately understand how important singing is to Edith, in fact Cotillard's performance is so raw it delivers the feeling that singing is the only thing she has left, the only reason she lives anymore. Now the fact that all this was shown prior to the scenes of her marriage/affairs with Marcel is brilliant storytelling in that it allows the power of the previous scene (Edith's breakdown) to let the audience guess that even though she is passionate about Marcel, they will not continue to be together because if they did Edith would not be clinging on to singing as though it is the only thing she has left in life. And then of course the ending, perfect. The three timelines are aligned in such perfect harmony they feel as one ending giving rise to the next and that to the next.

Cotillard does an incredible portrayal of Piaf, so much so that I did not even recognize her. Granted I have only seen her once or twice in a film (Inception being one of them) but the way she totally immersed herself into Piaf's character is just so amazingly well done. She definitely deserved that Oscar for best performance. Supporting actresses Testud and Seigner were also amazing in their characters and really added a realistic feel to the film. Basically all actors and actresses in this film helped to create its phenomenal experience of Piaf's life. Shout out to Jil Aigrot, who lent her voice as Piaf's singing voice -exquisite. The story is great though the non-linear narrative does jump around quite a bit. However, after investing more time in the film it soon becomes clear as to which point in time of Piaf's life the scenes are showing. There are also little date indexes which would appear on screen and those help, but for the most part I came to find that the chronology of the film cleared up with repetitive scenes that seem to belong to the same time period. The story does a great job at covering pretty much all bases of Piaf's life, from childhood to old age, and the drama in between is exciting, inspiring, and heartbreaking all at once. Another Oscar winning element for this film is its make-up. As mentioned, the film jumps around in time, and the make-up on Cotillard to portray Piaf is truly incredible. Especially in the depiction of Piaf's middle adulthood (30-40s) the combination of Cotillard's phenomenal acting and make-up really brought Piaf's character alive. Oh, the wonders of make-up. In addition, everything in the mise-en-scene helped to emphasize the atmosphere of the setting. With the help of editing and the soundtrack, different parts of Paris transcend through the screen. I fell in love with the aesthetics of the film, and felt emotionally attached to the characters. A really fantastic portrayal of a music icon. Read more movie reviews at: championangels.wordpress.com

An un-chronological look at the life of the Little Sparrow, Édith Piaf (1915-1963). Her mother is an alcoholic street singer, her father a circus performer, her paternal grandmother a madam.As of now (2015), Edith Piaf has been the focus of a number of films. But it would be hard to say any are better than this one, and the reason is simple: they cast the right actress. Another well-known actress was named as a potential choice, but Marion Cotillard was the only correct one -- she brings a power to the screen that few can. (She may also be the only non-English speaking actress to achieve wide acclaim in the United States).Although I know nothing about Piaf and cannot say if this is accurate, it is certainly well presented and a joy to watch.

I enjoyed this movie immensely, even though I was unaware that it was in French with English subtitles when I bought it. However, I do believe it could only be made in French. I had some French in high school so here and there I caught some words, but would not be able to follow the movie without the subtitles. But because of my high school French classes I knew who Edith Piaf was and the lyrics to several of her songs before watching the movie. I think that's what got me interested and also understanding the lyrics of her songs I believe is an important component of appreciating the songs and her art. For those who do not speak any French, translations are available online. As for the movie itself, the only part I really did not enjoy was the time travel back and forth throughout the movie. I would much prefer a orderly chronological telling of the story. However, other than that, I found it both interesting and enjoyable. The experience left me wanting to learn more about the singer and spend time online looking at videos of her singing, reading more details, etc. I was surprised to learn that many people here have no idea who she was and never heard of any of her songs. For those who fall into this category and have no interest in history, only the here and now, this may not be a good choice. But or those who like to be transported into another time and another life, this true story is certainly gripping. I know it's one of those movies I will enjoy watching over and over again.