Abandoned by her mother, Piaf grew up in her grandmother's brothel and her father's circus, which is hardly the fun one might imagine.

While singing on the streets of Paris as a teen, Piaf is discovered by club owner Louis Leplée, and this chance encounter changes the woman's life.

Piaf's powerful voice takes her all over the globe, but it can't guard her from the pain and suffering she can't avoid.

As Piaf, Cotillard is mesmerizing. She fully inhabits the singer's ivory skin, crafting a character that never descends into caricature or camp. She lip syncs to Piaf's legendary voice, but the performance is seamless. This biopic creates a fascinating picture of an artist whose songs only begin to reflect the singer's painful life.

But director-writer Olivier Dahan doesn't take the traditional biopic route with LA VIE EN ROSE. Instead, the film jumps between various moments in the singer's life, with little concern for linear narrative.

Cotillard is just as adept at playing the teenage Piaf as she is the songbird on her deathbed at the age of 47, and it's her amazing performance that makes LA VIE EN ROSE worth seeing.

 

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Gerard Depardieu, Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory

Director: Oliver Dahan