check it out

Rating: 7/10 (22 November 2007)

I am familiar with Piaf through two or three songs, and by reputation but had no idea her life was so horrible and short. This movie does a great job of moving viewers from a place of really not liking Piaf because of some hideous character flaws (she's a self-indulgent, low class guttersnipe) to a place where you warm up to her despite her shrewishness.
I don't agree with two of the biggest complaints (too long, too bleak). I felt the movie does a good job of preventing a multitude of depressing incidents from becoming too hopeless for viewers (compare the similarly themed, but hideously depressing Angelas Ashes.); and that I never noticed the length. Amidst the depressing events there are some nice moments with a devoted lover, an interviewer, etc, that are more affirming and pleasant than the last twenty films I've seen. Piaf's performance of le Marseilles, when forced to perform by her father, is really impressive.
Some nice directorial touches here and there: rather than show us the performance where she wins over a crucial audience, he blanks the sounds and lets us watch her perform visually. This movie does a better job than most of reviving a previous period in history. And the jumps between actresses who play Piaf are unusually good.
Cotillard inhabits the role. I thought there were even more actresses portraying Piaf, because the aging makeup is so convincing.