---
title: "La Vie en Rose"
year: 2007
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/la-vie-en-rose"
fi1m_id: "la-vie-en-rose"
imdb_id: "tt0450188"
tmdb_id: 1407
wikidata_id: "Q236217"
fi1m_score: 66
critics_score: 65
critics_reviews: 14
published: "2026-09-27T08:05:23.838425+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-27T08:05:24.930601+00:00"
region: "PL"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# La Vie en Rose (2007)

Directed by Olivier Dahan · 2h 20m · Music, Drama

## Identity

La Vie en Rose

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/la-vie-en-rose
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** la-vie-en-rose
- **IMDb ID:** tt0450188
- **TMDB ID:** 1407
- **Wikidata ID:** Q236217
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0450188/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1407, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q236217

**Fi1m score: 66** · Critics 65 from 14 reviews

*In a sentence:* Cotillard disappears so completely you forgive the film for never quite deciding what year it is

> Marion Cotillard’s Edith Piaf is as complete an impersonation as we have seen, from the plucked eyebrows to the shuffle. Olivier Dahan’s film around her leaps across forty years with no clear reason for any leap, and 140 minutes is too many.

## Synopsis

New York, 1959: Edith Piaf (Marion Cotillard) collapses on stage in the middle of a song. From there the film cuts to Belleville, Paris, in 1918, where the five-year-old Edith (Manon Chevallier) is left by her mother Annetta Gassion (Clotilde Courau), a street singer, and taken by her father Louis Gassion (Jean-Paul Rouve), a street acrobat, to the Normandy brothel run by his mother Louise (Catherine Allégret). A prostitute called Titine (Emmanuelle Seigner) mothers her there. In 1935 the club owner Louis Leplée (Gérard Depardieu) hears her singing on a Pigalle pavement beside her friend Mômone (Sylvie Testud), gives her a stage and a name, La Môme Piaf, and the story leaps forward and back from there through Paris, New York and her last years on the Riviera.

## Review

Olivier Dahan has not made a life of Edith Piaf in order. He has made one as it might be remembered by a woman lying in a bed on the Riviera, drifting: a Belleville street, a brothel, a New York club, a hospital corridor, a stage, none of them arriving when you expect. The idea is sound and the execution is not. *La Vie en Rose* contains one of the great screen performances and it keeps interrupting it to check the time.

Start with Cotillard, because everyone will. Her eyebrows are plucked to nothing and her hairline shaved back, her shoulders hunch, her hands rise and fall in front of her as if they belong to a taller woman, and her laugh is the raw bark of a girl who grew up shouting over traffic. As the older Piaf she walks like a woman of seventy in a body not yet fifty, and the prosthetics do less of the work than the neck and the knees. She does not sing; the voice on the soundtrack is not hers, and the miming is exact down to the breath before a note. It is the kind of performance that biopics are usually built to display, and this one keeps cutting away from it.

The childhood is the best-made stretch, and the most simply told. Olivier Raoux gives the Normandy brothel dark wood, red lamps and a staircase the child watches from, and Tetsuo Nagata lights it with the lamps alone, so faces come and go in brown shadow. Manon Chevallier, as the five-year-old, has a stillness that makes the women fuss round her, and Emmanuelle Seigner’s Titine fusses most. When the father comes back for the girl and she is pulled out of Titine’s arms, we were properly upset, more than we expected to be by a scene we had seen coming for ten minutes, and it is because Seigner plays it as a woman losing the only thing she was allowed to keep.

The adult supporting cast do well in little space. Gérard Depardieu has perhaps a quarter of an hour as Louis Leplée, the club owner who hears her on a Pigalle corner, and he plays him as a large, gentle man who knows what he has found and is slightly afraid for it. Marc Barbé’s Raymond Asso teaches her to stand still and use her hands, and the lesson is the one scene where the film shows us how a singer is made rather than that she was. Sylvie Testud’s Mômone drinks, sulks and stays, and Pascal Greggory’s Louis Barrier manages her with the patience of a man who has stopped expecting thanks. Jean-Pierre Martins, as the boxer Marcel Cerdan, is shy and courteous, and the New York scenes between him and Cotillard are the tenderest thing in the film.

Then there is the structure. Dahan and Isabelle Sobelman’s script hops from decade to decade, and Richard Marizy’s editing hops with it, so that a scene in 1935 is cut off for a scene in 1959 that is cut off for one in 1963, and none of them is allowed to finish. The war years disappear entirely. Around the ninety-minute mark we realised we had stopped feeling anything and had started doing arithmetic, working out how old she was in this room and which husband this was, and we were irritated, because the film had just spent ten minutes making us care. It happens more than once.

The craft is handsome and a little insistent. Nagata gives Paris a sodium yellow and the Riviera a bruised blue, and his camera prowls the clubs handheld, which suits the early years and tires by the later ones. Marit Allen dresses Piaf in the plain black that became her uniform and lets the childhood clothes look bought second-hand. Christopher Gunning’s orchestral score swells under Piaf’s own recordings, and there are moments when the two are competing and hers is losing, which is the wrong way round.

Biopics that scramble the chronology usually do it to avoid the cradle-to-grave march. This one takes the march and shuffles the cards, and the result is the same march with the map torn up. See it for Cotillard, for Depardieu, and for the brothel. Watch it at home if you can, where you can pause to work out the year, which is a convenience and not a compliment. It runs 140 minutes and carries a 12 certificate.

*Fi1m score 66, published 27 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics agree on one thing: Marion Cotillard. Nearly every review, whether favourable or not, singles out her performance as the reason to watch, and several say she stops seeming like an actress playing Piaf at all. The positive reviews also credit the lavish production and the film’s willingness to match its subject’s excess with a theatrical energy of its own.

The reservations gather around structure. The film moves back and forth across Piaf’s life, and many critics find the result muddled, overstuffed and short on insight into who she was. The spread is wide: some call it moving and compassionate, others pedestrian or shapeless, and the mixed verdicts equal the positive ones. The New Yorker’s Judith Thurman finds a pedestrian saga around a strong central performance, and Time Out’s Trevor Johnston goes further, suggesting a life this dramatic never needed a biopic in the first place.

## Straight answers

**Is La Vie en Rose worth watching?**

*La Vie en Rose* is worth watching for Marion Cotillard's Edith Piaf, which is as complete an impersonation as we have seen, and we scored it 66. Olivier Dahan's film around her leaps across forty years with no clear reason for any leap, and at 140 minutes it stops making us feel and starts making us count.

**How long is La Vie en Rose, and what is it rated?**

*La Vie en Rose* runs 2h 20m. It is a music and drama film.

**Where can I watch La Vie en Rose in Poland?**

*La Vie en Rose* is not on any streaming or rental service in Poland at the moment. It is available in 9 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is La Vie en Rose, and is it suitable for children?**

*La Vie en Rose* carries a 12 certificate and is a drama of poverty, drink and illness rather than violence. Part of the childhood is spent in a Normandy brothel, and a small child is pulled from the arms of the woman who has mothered her, a scene that upset us more than we expected. It is not frightening, but it is too slow and too adult in its concerns for younger children.

**How does La Vie en Rose compare to Judy?**

*La Vie en Rose* and [*Judy*](https://film.one/film/judy) are both built around a small woman with a large voice near the end of her life, and both are carried by their lead. Cotillard's Piaf is the more complete transformation, but Rupert Goold's film is the tidier and easier to follow, while Dahan's scrambles four decades until you lose track of the year. Choose Piaf for the performance and Garland for the storytelling.

**What should I watch after La Vie en Rose?**

After *La Vie en Rose*, try [*Judy*](https://film.one/film/judy) (2019, Fi1m 65): Renée Zellweger’s Garland, another small woman with a large voice, near the end. Then [*Amy*](https://film.one/film/amy) (2015, Fi1m 81): A documentary about Amy Winehouse that lets the songs carry the story, unsentimentally.

### Reviews we read (14)

- **Variety**, Lisa Nesselson (90/100, inferred): Nesselson recommends the involving, impressively mounted biopic and finds its portrait of Piaf rich and emotionally compelling. She especially praises Marion Cotillard’s transformative, affecting performance. [Read](https://variety.com/2007/film/awards/la-vie-en-rose-4-1200510519/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Dan Callahan (3.5/4): Callahan praises the film as an intuitive, theatrical biopic that captures Piaf’s tumultuous life with gusto. He singles out Marion Cotillard’s extravagant, convincingly embodied performance as its chief strength. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/la-vie-en-rose/)
- **IndieWire**, Kristi Mitsuda (85/100, inferred): Mitsuda finds the film an enlivening, unconventional portrait of Piaf. She especially praises Marion Cotillard’s performance for making the film’s shifting periods feel cohesive. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-grand-dame-olivier-dahans-la-vie-en-rose-74456/)
- **The Guardian**, Rob Mackie (70/100, inferred): Mackie finds the film emotionally excessive and poorly structured, but ultimately feels it does justice to Piaf. He singles out Marion Cotillard’s charismatic performance and the film’s lavish production values for praise. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/nov/30/dvdreviews.worldcinema)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (70/100, inferred): The review is broadly positive about the film. It singles out Marion Cotillard’s performance as its central strength. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/08/movies/08vie.html)
- **RogerEbert.com** (65/100, inferred): The page appears to be a review of the specified film, but its verdict cannot be determined from the blocked content. No praise or complaint is visible to summarize. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/la-vie-en-rose-2007)
- **Screen Daily** (64/100, inferred): The review text is behind a paywall, so its verdict is unavailable. No specific praise or criticism is visible in the accessible page. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/la-vie-en-rose-la-mome/4030770.article)
- **Total Film**, Total Film (3/5): The critic finds the biopic muddled and overstuffed, despite its fascinating subject. Marion Cotillard’s performance is singled out as a vibrant, uncannily accurate portrayal of Piaf. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/la-vie-en-rose-review/)
- **Empire**, Anna Smith (55/100, inferred): Smith finds the biopic entertaining, led by Marion Cotillard’s passionate and unshowy performance. She criticizes its fragmented structure and says it offers too little insight into Piaf’s character. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/la-vie-en-rose-review/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Kirk Honeycutt (55/100, inferred): Honeycutt finds the film showy, scattered and emotionally excessive, though its fervent approach may connect with audiences. He particularly praises Marion Cotillard’s brave, transformative performance as Piaf. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/la-vie-en-rose-159423/)
- **The AV Club**, Nathan Rabin (C-): Rabin finds the film bloated, shapeless, and ultimately without lasting insight. He praises Marion Cotillard’s expressive face and the film’s depiction of pop stardom, but says its portrayal of Piaf becomes grating. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/la-vie-en-rose-1798202734)
- **Time Out**, Trevor Johnston (2/5): Johnston suggests Piaf’s life was already so cinematic that a biopic was unnecessary. The available description highlights her extraordinary rise from poverty, but gives no further specific praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/la-vie-en-rose-1)
- **The New Yorker**, Judith Thurman (35/100, inferred): Thurman finds the film a pedestrian saga despite its strong central performance. She especially praises Marion Cotillard, whose portrayal nearly convinces her she is watching Piaf herself. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/06/25/french-blues)
- **Eye for Film**, Max Blinkhorn (90/100, inferred): Blinkhorn gives the film an enthusiastic verdict, calling it a moving and compassionate portrait of Piaf. He especially praises Marion Cotillard’s performance and the way the film captures Piaf’s spirit. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/la-vie-en-rose-film-review-by-max-blinkhorn)

## Details

- **Director:** Olivier Dahan
- **Director:** Olivier Dahan
- **Screenplay:** Isabelle Sobelman, Olivier Dahan
- **Cinematography:** Tetsuo Nagata
- **Editor:** Richard Marizy
- **Music:** Christopher Gunning
- **Production design:** Olivier Raoux
- **Costume design:** Marit Allen
- **Producer:** Alain Goldman
- **Cast:** Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf; Sylvie Testud as Simone 'Mômone' Berteaut; Pascal Greggory as Louis Barrier; Emmanuelle Seigner as Titine; Jean-Paul Rouve as Louis Gassion; Gérard Depardieu as Louis Leplée; Clotilde Courau as Annetta Gassion; Jean-Pierre Martins as Marcel Cerdan
- **Runtime:** 2h 20m
- **Release (Poland):** 11 May 2007
- **Genres:** Music, Drama
- **Budget:** $25 million
- **Box office:** $86 million

## Where to watch in Poland

Not streaming, renting or buying in Poland at the last check.

Also available in: DK, FI, FR, GB, IE, KR, NO, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2008: Best Costume Design (nominated); Best Actress (won); Best Makeup and Hairstyling (won)
- César Award for Best Actress 2008: César Award for Best Actress (nominated)
- European Film Academy Prix d'Excellence 2007: European Film Academy Prix d'Excellence (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Actress 2007: European Film Award for Best Actress (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Film 2007: European Film Award for Best Film (nominated)
- European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film 2007: European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Love Me or Leave Me* (1955): Doris Day as Ruth Etting; a singer’s life told straight, with James Cagney as the trouble
- *Bird* (1988): Eastwood’s Charlie Parker film also breaks up time, and knows why it is doing so
- *I'm Not There* (2007): Six actors as Dylan; the fragmented biopic taken to its logical and stranger end
- *Judy* (2019), Fi1m 65: Renée Zellweger’s Garland, another small woman with a large voice, near the end — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/judy.md)
- *Amy* (2015), Fi1m 81: A documentary about Amy Winehouse that lets the songs carry the story, unsentimentally — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/amy.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/la-vie-en-rose