A Bitter-Sweet "Rose"

So Rox and a couple of friends went to Hollywood last night to check out the foreign language film that is getting tons of buzz, "La Vie En Rose." The French singer Edith Piaf, who lived a life almost too melodramatic to believe, is at the center of this biopic. Born in an impoverished area of Paris to a cafe singer and a circus contortionist, she spent much of her childhood in a brothel that here dear grandmama ran, natch!). With that Waltons-like upbringing it was no surprise that she ended up living on the streets. What is suprising is that, at 20, she was discovered by a nightclub owner, launching her into great fame and great tragedy: illness, drug addiction, doomed love affairs and early death from cancer in 1963, at only 47. Uplifting this film is not! However, it's absolutely a gorgeous movie that has an Oscar-worthy turn by 31 year-old Marion Cotillard (if you saw "Big Fish" you would recognize her, otherwise, she IS Edith Piaf). The desperation, the drive, the carnal desire to simply live and love and the toll a hard life of extreme alcoholism, drug-addiction and heartbreak seep through every pore of Cotillard's. With Piaf being such an icon (with many similarities in success and tragedy being made quite obviously with America's own Judy Garland) it would be easy to "impersonate" her if you were an actress attacking the role. However, Cotillard devours the role and becomes Piaf -- even with the tricky juggling act of playing her at 20 and at 47. She and this story are amazing. You won't believe either until you see this. Yes, darlings, it does have subtitles but you get over that quickly. If you have a friend who is a total smarty pants then take him/her to this movie so you'll seem very cultured. You both will be so affected by this movie (and you'll appear fancier than usual just by suggesting it!). TTGP gives "Rose" 5 stars out of a six-pack of pop. Yes, this Rose is THAT sweet...