Triumph for Cotillard!!

Rating: 10/10 (7 July 2007)

I honestly did not know much of Edith Piaf the person when I stumbled onto this film.
Reading Stephen Holden's New York Times review of this movie, I was skeptical. I rarely pay much attention to the annual 'critics darling' film, fearing there is too much politics involved. What can I say, tragic singers have always fascinated me. Judy Garland is my favorite singer and this woman reminded me of her. Still, this Piaf woman could not be Judy Garland. But, despite my doubts, I saw the trailer for this film, and I thought I'd give it a shot.
I'm really glad I did. I was one of the few twenty-somethings in the audience, which mostly consisted an older crowd. But this movie gripped me from the first scene and held me until the last. You need to come into this movie with an open mind to really appreciate it. The film is choppy to say the least, it does not follow the traditional beginning middle end dynamic. It actually is a collection of images, past present and future all jumbled together, but still, consistent. I think the editing for this film is one of its vices, though I know many thought of it as being too exhausting. This film is not for the laid back viewer. Rather, you need to pay attention to keep up.
La Mome tells the story of Edith Piaf. As a child, she is abandoned by her mother who wants to become a famous singer. Her father saves her from her maternal grandmother's neglect only to dump her in his mother's brothel. The young Piaf is, of course, oblivious to the sinister settings she is in because of the care given to her by the prostitutes, one in particular is Titine. Piaf goes through a troubled childhood including losing her eyesight and being snatched from her 'home' to join her father's circus. This is one of the many times that Edith (pronounced ed-eeth not ee-dith) is snatched from someone she loves.
Poor and in constant debt, she sings for her keep. Edith is discovered, she falls from grace, and then finally is restored to her rightful place as the 'voice of Paris.' She falls in love, loses her love, goes through several quick marriages, and dies a hunched and withered woman. Albeit, one with no regrets.
While the film throws important facts in a series of punctual, if not inaccurate, darts, its not difficult to keep up. Nor do the subtitles distract from the movie. This film, semantics aside, is a visual masterpiece. The dark overtones and attention to tiny details is amazing. Look at Cotillard as she uses her hands and body to convey the message of her song. Look at her eyes when she is young and unexperienced as compared to when she is a pro. Wide and fearful then narrowed and triumphant. Amazing.
The songs are strong and they keep the story flowing, despite the cuts in between time. The scene where Edith learns of her lover's death is beautiful. It should be reason enough to see this film. The transition between extreme happiness, to extreme shock and finally on onstage "Hymne de la Amour" (sorry my French is terrible, lol) is enough to make anyone say "Best Actress - Cotillard-2007. Despite Cotillard's powerhouse performance, the older Edith is not a likable woman. She is demanding, stubborn, and a drug addict.
Still, the viewer is drawn to her voice, and we cannot help but assosciate some of Piaf's uglier qualities with some of our own. Which reminds me...it's a statement of Cotillard's acting abilities that Piaf is played by one woman from age 17 to 47. In her youth, her voice is light and breezy along with her demeanor. Elderly, she is frail and brittle with a deeper voice.
Despite the negative comments for the film, I think no one doubts that Cotillard is an amazing actress. She truly deserves an Oscar and a place in cinematic history for her thorough and emotionally intense performance of a strong and determined Edith Piaf.