Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf in "La Vie En
Rose" (left), and Angelina Jolie as Mariane Pearl in "A Mighty Heart".
Both actors are incredible in their roles, and their movies will open and expand
within a seven day-period this month in the U.S. and Canada. (Photos:
Picturehouse; Peter Mountain/Paramount Vantage)
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Both actors play real-life people, and like Helen Mirren, who won Oscar
gold earlier this year for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in Stephen Frears'
film, both Cotillard and Jolie play different queens in their own right.
Marion Cotillard, the French actor known to American audiences as Fanny the
waitress in Ridley Scott's 2006 romantic comedy "A Good Year", exhibits an
astounding range as French singing sensation and legend Edith Piaf, in Olivier
Dahan's film "La Vie En Rose", which opens in San Francisco, New York and Los
Angeles tomorrow, and expands across the U.S. on June 15. In a recent
interaction with Variety's Liz Smith, Cotillard revealed that she wore Piaf so
deeply within herself during filming that she would have dreams of the "Little
Sparrow" telling Cotillard that she couldn't smoke if she wanted to portray Piaf.
During last month's San Francisco International Film Festival, where the film
screened, Olivier Dahan said that he did not do any rehearsals of the actors for
the film, which makes Cotillard's acting all the more amazing and profound.
While the film's make-up department is to be lauded for giving Cotillard looks
that are contoured to match the variance of Piaf's trials and tribulations,
there is no doubt that the energy and effort expended in bringing Piaf (who
passed away in 1963) back to life on the big screen is indescribable. Edith Piaf was
considered a queen in the hearts of millions of her countrymen and women, and
Cotillard's acting reinvigorates Piaf and the nostalgia of her greatness amidst
a turbulent life.
A week after "La Vie En Rose" expands across the U.S., Angelina Jolie will be
the center of attention in "A Mighty Heart", Michael Winterbottom's drama about
the fateful last days of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter/writer
who was murdered in Pakistan in February 2002 after attempting to meet with
Pakistani cleric Sheik Mubarik Ali Gilani, a man allegedly tied to those Islamic
fundamentalist groups who espouse violence and terror. Mr. Winterbottom's
film is not about the figures that may have played a role in Mr. Pearl's murder,
though it does spend time chronicling the desperate search, but is about Ms.
Jolie's character, widow Mariane Pearl, who also is a journalist. Jolie
does her best work in a career that has some stand out performances in such
films as "Girl, Interrupted", "The Bone Collector", and "The Good Shepherd."
With an Oscar already tucked away for "Girl, Interrupted", Jolie has enjoyed
some of the best reviews of her career for her role as Ms. Pearl, whose book A
Mighty Heart: The Life and Death of My Husband Danny Pearl was the basis for the
film, which opens on June 22 in the U.S.
As in Cotillard's case, Angelina Jolie strongly resembles Mariane Pearl, with
brown contact lenses making the transformation complete. Though the
resemblance isn't the sole aspect of the performance that makes her work
remarkable, it is more that one cannot see Jolie on the screen because her
acting is so self-contained. There is no visual trace of Angelina Jolie
the personality, but every indication of Mariane Pearl's humility, selflessness
and dignity is on display. Mariane Pearl was a consultant on "A Mighty
Heart" and the essence of her late husband and how she remembers him is
beautifully captured in Jolie's memorable acting.
Both Cotillard and Jolie are expected to be nominated for Academy Awards in
January. "La Vie En Rose" opens tomorrow (June 8) and "A Mighty Heart"
opens on June 22 in the U.S.
The Popcorn Reel review of "La Vie En Rose" will appear
tomorrow. The
review of "A Mighty Heart" will appear soon.
Popcorn Reel Film Footnote: Jamiroquai's song "Seven Days In Sunny June"
appeared in "The Devil Wears Prada", which was released almost a year ago (June
30, 2006) in the U.S. and Canada.
