very nearly let this one slip through.....

Rating: 10/10 (20 February 2008)

Originally, when I saw this available,I chose to ignore it (I always get Eva Peron and Edith Piaf mixed up !). It wasn't until I heard it won a Bafta that I decided to give it a second glance and boy am I glad I did !! I was not aware of Edith Piaf's life story, I was not even aware of how young she was when she died or how she even died. If you like tragic biopics, they don't come more tragic than this story. Rather than tell it in a typical Hallmark-style drama, the use of flashbacks, quality period settings and of course the music, you are presented with the rich tapestry that was Edith's life story. It is drama from the get go. At times it feels a little rush and lurching from one tragedy to the next, but ultimately you walk away from it dazzled.
Unless you have a real problem with Subtitled film , do no make the mistake I nearly made and let this film slip past.
This is the one and only time I have felt an Oscar nominated actor deserves to be on the list. The performances in this film really do transport you to that time and place.