In Dahan's hands, the movie has a wonderful, romantic period look to it, and the pacing is good, even for such a personal drama, at more than two hours of running time. Dahan is able to capture the energy, the grandeur, the sleaze, the loneliness and solitude, and the cruelty surrounding Edith Piaf. And when the camera is trained on Marion Cotillard, we can't help but be captivated by her essence and presence.
Then, of course, there is the music. I was only slightly familiar with Piaf's songs until now: "La Vie en Rose", "Padam, Padam", "L'Hymne A L'Amour", "Lisieux", etc. They are gorgeous, and make me appreciate Edith Piaf's talent, and recognize why she was such a star — the Judy Garland of France. At the end, when she starts to sing "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien", which perfectly captures her life and her spirit, it is a powerful scene and a definitive moment that summarizes la vie en Edith Piaf.
Stars: Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory, Emmanuelle Seigner, Jean-Paul Rouve, Gerard Depardieu, Clotilde Courau, Jean-Pierre Martins, Catherine Allegret, Marc Barbe
Director: Olivier Dahan
Writers: Olivier Dahan, Isabelle Sobelman
Distributor: Picturehouse
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for substance abuse, sexual content, brief nudity, language
Running Time: 140 Minutes
Ratings:
- Script: 6
- Performance: 9
- Direction: 7
- Cinematography: 8
- Music/Sound: 9
- Editing: 7
- Production: 8
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