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La Vie en Rose
- Review Date: November 12, 2007
- PG-13
- Genre: Drama
- 2007
Common Sense Media says
French Edith Piaf biopic sings one lady's blues.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that most kids probably won't be clamoring to see this subtitled biopic about French singer Edith Piaf. Which may be just as well, since her life was difficult, and the movie doesn't skimp on the details of her powerful alcohol and drug addictions. Young teens might need guidance understanding why she's so dependent. Older teens may be able to handle these themes (though there are explicit scenes of intravenous use), but they could still be confounded by both how Piaf was abandoned and mistreated by her parents, relatives, and friends. Though there's a sense that Edith triumphed over adversity, the relentless tragedies may be overwhelming. Expect some swearing and sex (Piaf grows up among prostitutes).
What's the story?
Set in a gritty early 20th-century Paris, the biopic LA VIE EN ROSE delves into the life of Edith Piaf, the 1930s French chanteuse whose stirring songs of love's joys and sorrows made her a household name. Piaf endured a punishingly painful life -- abandoned by her mother, neglected by a circus-performer father, raised partly by prostitutes, used by boyfriends, discovered by a nightclub owner (Gérard Depardieu) who then is killed, heartbroken by the death of a child, hobbled by a morphine addiction, dead at 47 -- the tiny Piaf (aka "the Little Sparrow") had little to celebrate except for her enormous, wondrous voice. So when the chance for true happiness with boxer Marcel Cerdan (Jean-Pierre Martins) -- is dashed forever, it's nothing short of devastating. And then, of course, there's her music, which aptly takes center stage. "Non, je ne regrette rien," she sings ("I regret nothing"), and how noble, how sad those words seem.
Is it any good?
Writer/director Olivier Dahan's biopic is beautifully filmed and grippingly told. As played by Marion Cotillard (in an Oscar-winning performance), Piaf is complicated and compelling, the stuff of legend. But although it's impressive, the film fails to bring viewers close enough to its subject. Bounding from one moment to the next, from present to past to present once more, it reveals but doesn't illuminate.
Whether Piaf herself was that impenetrable or the film just isn't long enough (even though it's over two hours), something doesn't quite click. What's shown on screen leaves viewers feeling removed -- knowing much about Piaf but not knowing her at all. We see what she does, but we don't quite understand why (although we have our guesses). It makes for a slightly frustrating cinematic experience. Which isn't to say that you won't be moved.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about Piaf's addictions. Why do you think she turned to alcohol and drugs? Did she have any other way to cope with her troubles? What about her singing? How did the media portray her rise and fall? Was Piaf beloved by her fans, warts and all? If she had become famous today, how would the media cover her addictions? Would they harm or help her celebrity?
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AGE
This movie was...okay. It depicts addiction to drugs and alcohol. A couple have sex under the covers and you can see the sheets rustling quickly. There is also a brief instant where a prostitute's bare breasts are shown.
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AGE
dark and depressing....
I don't know what all the hype about this movie was about...i thought it dreadfully depressing and I couldn't wait for it to end. I kept thinking it has to improve but it didn't it got worse. what a waste of a perfectly good evening...
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AGE
I'm surprised this wasn't rated R.
In the review above, it was not mentioned that at one point, a prostitute walks through the halls topless (breasts are seen). Anyway, I'm not really sure I liked this movie - I had difficulty setting the events in order as they were so skewed all over the place. One thing I am sure about - Marion Cotillard was incredible.
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AGE
A very good film about a very complex and confusing woman. Marion Cotillard definitely deserved her Oscar.
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beautiful but haunting
I love Edith Piaf's music and the movie was beautiful but very sad.
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Mesmorizing
This was such a great bio-pic! I enjoyed watching every single second of it! Instead of it being a boring drawn out look at Edith Piaf's life, it was a gripping and powerful look at the star.
Marion Cartillard definitely embodied the spirit and soul of Edith and is more than deserving of the Best Actress Oscar. She expertly plays off her struggling teenage years, her morhpine addiction, and brilliantly lips to the great music of Piaf.
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Read
Change: Rated R: Violence, Sexuality, Language, and Very Strong Drug Use
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| Studio: | Legende Films |
| Director: | Olivier Dahan |
| Cast: | Gerard Depardieu, Jean-Pierre Martins, Marion Cotillard |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 140 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 8, 2007 |
| DVD release date: | November 13, 2007 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | substance abuse, sexual content, brief nudity, language and thematic elements. |
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