La Vie En Rose (La Mome) Review

Posted by Chad Webb on 07.05.2007

You will remember the name of Marion Cotillard.

Marion Cotillard: Edith Piaf
Sylvia Testud: Momone
Pascal Greggory: Louis Barrier
Emmanuelle Seigner: Titine
Jean-Paul Rove: Louis Gassion
Gerard Depardieu: Louis Leplee
Clotilde Courau: Anette Gassion
Jean-Pierre Martins: Marcel Cerdan
Manon Chevallier: Edith - 5 years old
Pauline Burlet: Edith - 10 years old
Directed by: Olivier Dahan
Release Date: June 8, 2007
Running Time 2 hours and 20 minutes







Rated PG-13 for substance abuse, sexual content, brief nudity, language and thematic elements.

La Vie En Rose is the most impatient film I have ever seen. It is directed by Olivier Dahan, a man who has worked on music videos before, so it comes to no astonishment that his first feature film reflects that style. His arrangement of various events from her life in a wildly fractured method undermines the brilliance of Marion Cotillard. Her performance as Edith Piaf is the best so far this year by any actor or actress….period. There is no doubt that this biopic could have been great, but sadly it will have to settle for average.

Edith (Manon Chevallier and Pauline Burlet) was born to a slob street singing mother (Clotilde Courau), and a father (Jean-Paul Rove) who was a circus contortionist. Her mother left abruptly one day, abandoning the child to the responsibility of her father, who subsequently dropped her with his own mother, the manager of a brothel. One prostitute, named Titine (Emmanuelle Seigner), was immediately drawn to Edith, and basically claimed the girl for herself, that is until her father returned and forced her to contribute to his circus routine. It was on the ugly streets, slaving for her father that Edith first sang. Because she was a cute girl, the on looking crowd wanted to know if she was a part of his act. He demanded that she do something to keep them interested. It was the very beginning of her rise to stardom as one of France’s most cherished icons.

The last name of “Piaf” translates as “sparrow”, and was not introduced until Louis Leplee (Gerard Depardieu) discovered her singing tunes on the sidewalks for money. He proclaimed her Edith Piaf (Marion Cotillard), or “The Little Sparrow” because she stood at under 5 feet tall. From there, she grew into a legend. She had various lovers including the boxer Marcel Deran, and drank almost constantly. She became addicted to morphine so intensely that multiple injections were imperative throughout the day. She developed cancer, and died at the young age of 47, but she still lives on in the hearts and memories of many fans.

The world of cinema offers the viewer an opportunity to learn in some of the most extraordinary ways. Even if the motion picture is not entirely accurate, it might propel the person to research the facts for themselves. Having said that, I had only heard of the name Edith Piaf, but after seeing her life displayed on screen, I now realize how talented, special, and exceptional she truly was. Her life and the manner in which she carried it are largely as chaotic as this film. I suppose that was the point. What a horrible existence this woman had. Suffering from temporary blindness and being deaf at an early age, and having parents that were clearly not fit or prepared to raise a child are only a fraction of the tragedies she endured.

Piaf’s struggle, her happiness, and her angelic tone are conveyed gloriously by Marion Cotillard. Her work is mind-blowing and touching. This is a portrayal that ventures into the territory beyond mere acting, and lands firmly with those who leave you utterly speechless. An unfathomable feeling is produced after witnessing one person submerging so eloquently into a role. Not only is Cotillard convincing, but her resemblance to Piaf is amazingly close. If this was not enough for the Academy to wake up, the lip synching by Cotillard is so perfect and difficult to pinpoint that it will never once cross your mind that it is actually occurring. Previously, Cotillard was seen lending supporting parts in A Good Year, A Very Long Engagement, and Big Fish. She deserves more than congratulatory praise here.

Unfortunately, the impressionistic editing is the equivalent to being stung by mosquitoes while trying to concentrate fervently on something. According to interviews with Olivier Dahan, he insists that a non-linear technique was crucial. I agree that the splintered storytelling is the only proper way of expressing the necessary amounts of this jewel's life, but I also think he was excessive to a degree that he evidently chugged 10 Red Bulls a day in post-production. In order to generate the intended emotions at the start and finish, this trajectory was appropriate, but in the middle, the strength of the content is damaged because Dahan interrupts every moment to show another and another until our heads are spinning. Similar complaints were made with Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers, but Dahan puts that to shame.

The only other fault is hard to articulate. It almost seems immature. At least four or five characters are given the name, or a variation of Louis. Thought I’m sure this matches the real people, it becomes exceedingly difficult to understand which Louis you are watching. I was able to comprehend the basic idea of who was who, but I found myself carefully examining certain identities.

On the bright side, Dahan caught Cotillard in a gorgeous fashion with the camera. Her presence is so powerful, despite the fact that she was so diminutive in stature. He encapsulates precisely the right sentiment in several key scenes. For instance, the nervousness of the rabble-rousing Piaf when she initially graces the stage in front of Louis Leplee, performed wonderfully by Gerard Depardieu. Furthermore, she instills a potent and prevailing aura when she hobbles from room to room with servants, doctors, and friends follow closely behind.

The remaining members of the cast, such as Sylvie Testud, Emmanuelle Seigner, Gerard Depardieu, Clotilde Courau, Jean-Pierre Martins deliver virtuoso supporting turns. No one falters, or is left in the dust. It is impossible not to be slightly overshadowed by the magnificence of Cotillard, but this group steps up the plate and connects with A-games. The child actresses, Manon Chevallier and Pauline Burlet, are quite simply fabulous, and blend with Cotillard’s older Edith marvelously. Fans of Abigail Breslin should sit up and take note. These two are just as fantastic, if not faintly superior.

The songs are heartfelt, poignant, hypnotizing, and breathtaking. From the unforgettable and suitable concluding number “Non, je ne regretted rien”, to other spellbinders like “Padam, Padam”, “La foule”, and “Mon manage a moi”, each cabaret ballad will sweep you off your feet. Off stage, Piaf was a complete wreck of a personality, riddled by drugs, risky relationships, and more, but onstage she was unstoppable and imposing with all eyes locked on her as she belted those moving lyrics to the sky with an incomparable vigor.

The English title La Vie En Rose translates as “The Life of the Rose”, and is also the most memorable song of the bunch. La Mome, a title used in other countries means literally “The Kid”, one of Piaf’s nicknames. No one can argue that important aspects of her life were excluded. At a 140 minute running time, this packs all drops of liquor, and all the notable people Edith encountered. Regardless that Dahan jettisoned a clear-cut chronology; he is saved for one obvious reason. On a whole, La Vie En Rose will not be as revered as Ray or Walk the Line, but the lead should definitely be. This is an ambitious, all-embracing physical and mental transformation, a total ownership and control of a character that more should observe.

The 411: All but three songs resonated from Edith Piaf herself. The others were voiced by Jil Aigrot, but you would never have guessed there was a difference, or that lip synching was happening at all. That is how good Marion Cotillard is. Director Olivier Dahan has a promising career ahead of him if he can learn pacing and the art of steadiness. He does an excellent job for the most part, but the editing is more than an annoyance. It makes it impossible to even bend down for a handful of popcorn, or to locate your soda in fear of missing a significant sequence. Taking into account all the pros and cons, I would watch La Vie En Rose again just to show friends and acquaintances the acting. Make a point of going to IMDB and looking to see if this is playing at a theater near you.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]