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LA VIE EN ROSE Send This Review to a Friend
An Oscar nomination should be immediately reserved, and other award givers should also take notice. In the smashing new film “La Vie en Rose” French actress Marion Cotillard gives a performance that mid-way in 2007 is by far the best of the year. Cotillard plays legendary French singer Edith Piaf in one of the most impressive biographical dramas ever. The ups and downs of Piaf’s turbulent life have the ingredients for a powerful film, and Cotillard, although not resembling Piaf in real life, becomes the “Little Sparrow” with the aid of a fabulous make up and wardrobe job, but more importantly by means of brilliant acting that should render you emotionally affected and thoroughly enthralled.
There is, of course, the music, such famous Piaf numbers as “Milord,” “Non, je ne regrette rien,” and the title song, “La Vie en Rose.” Piaf’s voice occupies the soundtrack, but Cotillard’s miming is so effective that one would swear she’s doing the singing. The work is seamless. Beginning with Piaf’s sad childhood, the film takes us on a journey through the milestones of her life, including her singing in the streets, her discovery, the painful personal losses, her fame and ultimate ill health, right to the point of her death and the memories that flash through her mind.
One of her great personal tragedies was the loss of the love of her life, boxer Marcel Cerdan, in a plane crash The way in which the event is scripted and directed by Olivier Dahan is inventive and extremely effective, and Jean-Pierre Martins’ portrayal of Cerdan is so charismatic that the void is particularly felt when he is killed. Structurally, “La Vie en Rose” mixes time frames to build the narrative. The look of the film and the performances make the trajectory consistently effective.
Gérard Depardieu plays Luis Leplée, the man who discovered Piaf. Others with key roles include Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory, Emmanuelle Seigner and Catherine Allegret. There is also a colorful cameo appearance by Caroline Silhol as Marlene Dietrich.
Cotillard’s performance and the screenplay show Piaf to be difficult, at times nasty, and generally living on an emotional edge. She moves with the force of her fame in Paris and New York after it comes, but must struggle to keep going despite all that befalls her. The film is two hours 20 minutes long, and I can’t think of anything I would want to cut. By the time you leave, you may feel that you know Piaf intimately and that this biographical tale has done her justice. A Picturehouse release.
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