Marcel Cerdan gives one of the greatest female performances of our time

Rating: 6/10 (11 May 2008)

This is the story of Edith Piaf, the most famous and beloved French singer of her time. It starts with Piaf at the age of 5 and she's being raised by her mother horribly. Later her father takes her and gives her to Therese who is the 'caretaker' of a whore house who does a much better job taking care of Piaf than her mother, believe it or not.
Later on in the film at the age of around 20, she starts 'street singing' with her friend beautifully and is one day noticed by promoter Louis Leplée (Gérard Depardieu) who thinks she is perfect for his club and is right; she dazzles the public at the club. The film also reveals one of Edith Piaf lovers, Yves Montand, one of the great French actors who was in some of France's great films like "The Wages of Fear" and "The Red Circle".
The film basically shows the life struggle of Edith Piaf and her enormous problems. Marion Cotillard does a spectacular performance as Edith Piaf in arguable one of the greatest female performances of our time and wins the Oscar for it. But despite Marion Cotillard's performance, the film is a very exhausting experience. It starts with her last performance, then with her at the age of 5, then back to the 1950s then back to her at the age of 9 and so on and so on. In general it is really hard and tiring to keep up with.
The film also shows you an affair Piaf had with a boxer named Marcel Cerdan (Jean-Pierre Martins) in which she really loved him but at the same time knew he would never leave his family but never wanted to face this fact. Thus she kept picturing herself with him and him alone which was somewhat of a fantasy. Towards the end of the film in the very late 1950s, she is very ill and is struggling to keep on singing but with great difficulty. She thinks that if she does not sing, then she might as well die because singing is her life, it's what she lives for.
Edith Piaf in certain ways really reminds me of Judy Garland and her struggle and even looks a little like Judy Garland.
Basically on a whole, the film isn't really much of an entertaining film but it's worth seeing just for Marion Cotillard's spectacular and unforgettable performance.