Flawed but still good

Rating: 8/10 (25 January 2008)

I had a problem recognizing some characters in the film. Maybe that's part of the reason that I didn't enjoy it fully. I agree with everyone here that the lead actress did an excellent job. There are some memorable scenes, like when she heard that her lover dies from a plane crash or when she signs the last song of her life on the stage. Those eyes can really reflect a life fully-lived.The music in the film is so beautiful. I never heard of Edith Piaf before and there was no caption in the film to tell me what the songs were about, but right after the movie ended I looked for more info about her and her songs from the internet. I found out that the lyrics of the song are also meaningful and that Edith Piaf is a more interesting person than the way this film presents her. Why? When I watched the film, Piaf looks like a lonely woman, famous but lonely. She has lost many people that she loves and she went through some tough times when she was young. But, that's it. The film doesn't tell us that she had helped people during World War II. It's a significant part of a person life. It shows us that she is someone who cares about others, not just herself. Watching this film makes me feel that Piaf is too obsessed with herself and her singing and her lover. She's like a brat that demands everyone around her to do this or that. But the real Edith Piaf, I think, she's someone more special. There is something else in her that makes people love her so much.
Still, I must say that this film is a fine one. It captures my attention throughout and it sure sparks my interest about this singer. It's not a waste of time. If you have a chance to see it, then see it.