A Life in Shadow
La Vie en Rose Paints Tragic Portrait

To sum up a life, any life, in the course of two hours is a monumental task. So, often a director will focus on one moment, one triumph, instead of trying to capture it all. In La Vie en Rose, director Olivier Dahan chooses to chart the entire life of French singer and national icon Edith Piaf. The result is a rich understanding of a tragic but passionate life.

La Vie en Rose
Marion Cotillard as the French singer and national icon Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose. (Picturehouse, 2007)
Directed by: Olivier Dahan
Written by: Olivier Dahan, Isabelle Sobelman
Starring: Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory, Emmanuelle Seigner, Jean-Paul Rouve, Gérard Depardieu, Clotilde Courau, Jean-Pierre Martins

Rated PG-13 (for substance abuse, sexual content, brief nudity, language and thematic elements)
Running time: 140 min.

FilmGuru's Rating : 9 out of 10.

La Vie en Rose is an unapologetic look at the life of Edith Piaf. The film does not follow a linear timeline, but skips around her life. As a young woman, Edith (Marion Cotillard) is discovered by nightclub owner Louis Leplée (Girard Depardieu). It is he who gives her the nickname La Môme Piaf (The Sparrow Kid).

Over time, she adopts the name Edith Piaf and begins a recording career that spans several decades. Piaf's music is used throughout the film, giving the story a sense of authenticity. Her signature song, "La Vie en Rose" is also the title of the film.

For one who sang of "Life in Pink," her world was painted in much more somber colors. Though she sang and spoke of love so often, the film depicts a life devoid of it. From her traumatic childhood through her adult life as a pampered star, the film shows no lasting relationships. Even what she calls her "true" love is an affair with a married man: Middleweight boxing champion Marcel Cerdan (Jean-Pierre Martins).

The depiction of Piaf is extraordinary. Cotillard portrays Edith both in the flower of her youth and in her later years, marked by deteriorating health. Though Piaf dies at the age of only 47, her body seems twice that age. Make-up artist Didier Lavergne transforms her physical appearance through the years. The makeup, however, is only window dressing for an amazing performance. Cotillard becomes Piaf, but the actress continues to shine through.

The storytelling is perhaps the most challenging aspect of the film. The story skips around in her life, and as a result, it is not until the end of the film that audience discovers one of her greatest tragedies. Some may find the editing difficult to overcome, but for those who can tolerate the flashbacks and flash-forwards, the story is rewarding and memorable.

La Vie en Rose is in French, with English subtitles.