La Vie en Rose (France, 2007)

I'm not a great fan of biopics, and I wouldn't normally take the time to watch a French one about the life of Edith Piaf. However, seeing as she died in the village where I now live, and the choice at the time was limited, I watched this one.

If you aren't familiar with the story, it will definitely help to read her Wikipedia article beforehand. There's quite a bit of disconcerting jumping around through time, and it's kind of assumed that you know who everyone is. All the same, it's pretty standard stuff. At the beginning she's born, in the middle she lives, and at the end, she dies.

Director Olivier Dahan creates a stylish and very atmospheric account of the rags to riches life of La Môme. All the usual bases are covered - from her harsh childhood, to fame and fortune, via drink, drugs and disaster. Marion Cotillard excels as the adult Piaf, portraying both her strength and vulnerability. The soundtrack is spellbinding. If you are already a fan, the film is worth watching for the music alone. But even illiterates like me risk being entranced by the power of her songs.

All that said, although visually and musically impressive, the final result was somehow shallow and unsatisfying. It was summed up towards the end of the film when, late in her career, Piaf is interviewed by an American journalist. The interview lasts only a few minutes, and the most penetrating question Piaf is asked is 'what is your favourite colour'. I can't be sure if this was a deliberate effort on the part of Dahan to demonstrate that really, no-one knew her intimately, or if the film is just lacking in depth. Either way, by the end, I wanted more. It seemed as if we'd covered all the facts without really having much insight into who Edith Piaf really was.

Overall, a reasonable effort. Well made, informative, with great music, but ultimately uninspiring.