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him there, and breaks down. Her friends try to console her as she makes her way, distraught and trembling, through a hallway that leads to a concert hall. It ends by cutting to Edith singing one of her final concerts on stage. In this single shot, running about four minutes long, (Andre Bazin would be proud), we see Cotillard embody Edith Piaf from giddy elation to despondency with a conviction so rarely seen on screen. This scene encapsulates Edith's tragic life. She passes from fleeting joy to despair, her few loves and triumphs dashed, and yet she continues to sing, all in one take.

As with other aspects of this film, the costume design, while not calling attention to itself, brought the story and characters to life. Costume designer Marit Allen was nominated for an Oscar and won both a BAFTA and a Cesar for La Vie En Rose. Marit Allen was truly gifted in telling a story through authentic costuming. To Marit, the story took precedence in the film, but her costume design provided the fabric, literally and figuratively, to tell that story. From the drab, worn clothing of Edith Piaf's childhood to the elegant gowns and suits of the successful Paris and New York entertainers, the clothing was more than mere costumes. It is sad that Marit Allen is no longer with us to bring more stories to such vivid life. She is surely missed.

Though disjointed at times, and with some scenes seemingly coming from nowhere, La Vie En Rose is still one of the best biopics I've seen. Whether you know much about Edith Piaf's life or not, this film is a great human drama. While in some ways Edith Piaf's life was a tragedy in the classic sense of the word, much of her grief was brought on by the circumstances she found herself in. This film honestly, yet respectfully, portrays the tragic life that Edith lived, and the passion with which she struggled through that life.

Learn more about this author, Reed Daigle.
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