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Official Synopsis:
The Extraordinary Life of Edith Piaf.
She came from the streets of Paris and survived using the only gift she had. In this masterful biopic, Marion Cotillard (A Very Long Engagement, A Good Year) gives "one of the most devastating, inspired and breathtaking performances in film history" (Rex Reed - New York Observer) as the immortal French singer Edith Piaf, whose legendary, Grammy-honored voice was remarked to be "the soul of Paris" and whose life was a perpetual battle to sing and survive, to live and love. Hailed by critics and audiences alike and featuring footage not shown in theaters, La Vie En Rose is the electrifying, unflinching true story of one of the most indelible icons of the 20th century, who embodied the voice of a nation and captivated the world.
Our Take:
It seems that every year now, around awards season, a music biopic comes out that the critics love, which renews interest in the subject’s music. In 2007, it was Edith Piaf’s turn in the film La Vie En Rose.
Luckily, it seems that they handle music biopics a little differently over in France, but not differently enough that viewers will not notice some of the clichés recently and accurately lampooned in Walk Hard. Much like with the also critically acclaimed Walk the Line, La Vie En Rose takes us from the subject’s childhood to their death, but with more emphasis on the childhood and a lot more character exploration. This fact should be credited to Edith Piaf herself, who apparently led a far more interesting life than the late Mr. Cash did.
As has come to be expected in a musical biopic (just check recent Academy Award winners), the subject is played excellently played. Marion Cotillard certainly deserved her Academy Award as she captured the many sides of Edith Piaf, from doting lover to out of control diva, but maintained Piaf’s purity of spirit throughout the film. Director Olivier Dahan constructs the film beautifully, effectively intercutting throughout the various periods of Piaf’s life. Initially, I thought the approach would get confusing, especially going into to the film with no biographical background knowledge of Piaf, but instead Dahan weaves a beautiful symmetry, connecting moments of different parts of her life. The connections are sometimes more obvious than others, including visual allusions to scenes depicting a different stage in her life and simply symmetry through what is actually happening. For example, we see Piaf as a sick child intercut with the time shortly before death. This non-linear approach allows for a more absorbing experience, one far greater than if it were a linear film with flashback sequences. Lastly, one cannot praise the film without noting Piaf’s amazing voice and songs. The soundtrack is better than the film, but that is no way putting the film down; quite the contrary, it’s a testament to how beautiful Piaf’s voice truly is.
This release is titled an “extended edition,” but having not seen the theatrical release I could not pick out what parts were added into the film, which is a good thing as at no point is the pacing off. If anything, there may have been cuts made in the US theatrical release that were restored on DVD. The lone bonus feature on the disc is:
* Stepping into Character (8 minutes) – A somewhat short interview with the film’s director and star about adapting Edith Piaf’s life for the screen
La Vie En Rose transcends musical biopic clichés to stand on its own as an excellent film. Edith Piaf was an intriguing artist whose spirits is beautifully captured by another excellent artist in Marion Cotillard. The only downside to this release is the unfortunate absence of additional bonus material, especially something that focuses on Piaf’s music. If you have been waiting to see this film, wait no longer.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Overall Picture:
Movie: A
DVD: C+
- Matthew Orlando
Staff Writer
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