Movies / Movie Reviews

La Vie en rose

By Herve St-Louis
July 18, 2007 - 23:38

Also Known As: La Mome

Born from a cabaret singing mother and a contortionist father, young Édith Giovanna Gassion was surrounded by odd characters living on the edge of Early 20th Century France. Educated by prostitutes and travelling for many years with a circus, the sickly Giovanna Gassion, later known as Piaf, roamed the street of Paris, singing until she was discovered. Her tragic life was only starting. Based on the life of the French singer who became a national icon, La Vie en Rose, named after one of Piaf’s greatest songs, shows her hardships with love and health. The movie is in French with English subtitles for both speeches and lyrics.

This is not the type of movie I would usually go to. However, I may have to readjust what fits in my film repertoire. Like many, I knew little about Piaf. I figured she was one of those crazy divas who committed suicide after drinking too much booze, like Dalida, Billie Holiday and Maria Calla. I knew the songs, vaguely. Like all people born in Quebec, the old French classics are dusted off at every family gathering and played ad nauseam on the radio and television commercials.

The movie has a way of creeping on you taking over making you care about Piaf and her singing. Half of the credit for the film success go to the songs Piaf sang. Any of them could be the main themes for any great classic film. In fact, many have been used repeatedly, even in Disney’s Ratatouille. But adding all her great successes and matching them to a specific period of her life guarantees the film will grab the viewer by the ears and never let go of him.

What goodwill this movie earned, it squandered with a complicated flashback routine trying to draw as many parallels between her early life and the time just before her death. So it is on this marching band, knowing that the film will eventually end in the death of Piaf, that one watches this film nodding in disagreement at all her mistakes and excesses, without being able to control the outcome.

This movie will be more enjoyable for those with little knowledge of Piaf. It will surprise you more and you will witness her many tragedies for the first time. This tragedy, is portrayed by French actress Marion Cotillard. At first, I was certain that there were two actresses playing this role, the younger and the old. The make up was great, but so was Cotillard’s performance. She felt like an old woman. When she lips sang to Piaf’s voice, there was no way of knowing that this brilliant sound was coming from an old recording. Cotillard was Piaf.

As for the cinematography, it was spotless. There were even some shots coloured with sepia tones. The lightning on young Piaf made her look sickly, while her best moments were filled with bright colours.

This movie will make you interested in Piaf, if you have any inclination to discover a great singing talent that left us with many great songs.

Last Updated: November 29, 2025 - 16:51