A very good, very sad movie

Rating: 7/10 (16 March 2008)

"La Vie en Rose" is a hauntingly tragic representation of Edith Piaf's hauntingly tragic life. This masterful biopic succeeds in telling her story in a touching way. It captures most of her short life in vivid detail, though some parts could have been elaborated on more. It shows her at her height, when things could not have been better; it shows her at her lowest and most painful of times, when things could not have been worse.
The Best Actress Oscar winner was much deserving. Marion Cotillard delivers a staggeringly forceful performance as Edith Piaf aged 19-47. Her vivid performance not only is believable, it is a convincingly real representation of a struggling young woman, a rising star, a star atop the world, a broken hearted lover, and a woman dying well before her time has come.
Part of the film's magic is the transformation in Marion Cotilard's (Edith Piaf) physical appearance. Her face goes from that of a young woman full of life, to one of an old woman clinging onto it. The makeup is amazing. The tragic tone of the movie is depicted in many ways through lighting and the music. The lighting is often dark, and things are sometimes hard to make out. Though the lighting does contribute to the tone that the director probably hoped for, at times it's a bit much. Most of the music is Edith Piaf's actual singing, which is heart-wrenchingly pretty.
"La Vie en Rose" is a wonderful film, though it has some flaws. But mostly, it is a good film. The movie will probably go over most kids heads, so you might want to consider this before watching it. "La Vie en Rose" is a first-class film, that you shouldn't miss.