Not Just a Cotillard Vehicle

Rating: 9/10 (8 July 2008)

Let's get the obvious out of the way early: Marion Cotillard gives an amazing performance. I'm sure you've heard about it, and it's probably the reason why anyone other than Piaf fans would be interested in the movie. Every review of the film you will ever read, whether positive or negative, will probably tell you the same thing about her amazing performance, and rightfully so.
Cotillard made this movie. This will always be Cotillard's movie. However, director Olivier Dahan (so that's the director's name) is far from passive, and he doesn't just sit back and let this become the Marion Cotillard show. Dahan does a lot of interesting things visually. There's one scene in which Piaf grabs tea for her lover, goes from room to room searching for his lost watch, has a mental breakdown, and steps on to the stage- all in one shot.
Dahan, along with editor Richard Marizy, rely heavily on montage sequences, which are very effective for the most part; maybe one or two sequences didn't necessarily need a montage.
We don't simply follow Piaf from birth to death. The film routinely jumps back and forth from past to present, recent to more recent. This is the aspect of the film which may divide the audience. The non-linear narrative is effective in that it shows how the past influences the present, and reveals information about her past when the reveal would be the most effective. We learn about Piaf's daughter, Marcelle, who died at the age of two when Piaf was only nineteen years old, while Piaf is on her deathbed. This is done in a final montage that includes the death of Marcelle, Edith's memories of staying in a brothel as a young girl, living with her father as a pre-teen, and her 1959 concert at the Olympia; this montage is juxtaposed with Piaf giving an interview on a beach.
Some audiences may find the non-linear narrative and use of montage to be confusing, even though subtitles informing the audience of time and place are provided in most cases.
Although Cotillard makes this movie, it's the narrative style that makes this a great movie and not just a vehicle for a very talented actress.