WRITERS & DIRECTORS
Mehdi Idir and Grand Corps Malade
School Life /La Vie Scolaire

STARS
Tahar Rahim, Camille Moutawakil, Bastien Bouillon and Marie-Julie Baup

I’m not sure about you, but I for one did not recall ever hearing the name Charles Aznavour, let alone knowing who he is, prior to my screening of French biopic Monsieur Aznavour. Yet, for someone who was once paid equally to Frank Sinatra, had been mentored by the legendary Edith Piaf and is best known for signature song La Bohème, it feels like I should absolutely know who this man is. Fortunately, I would have learned of him in another French biopic, the one that chronicles the life of the aforementioned Edith Piaf stunningly performed by Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose.

So, who is he exactly, you might be wondering?

Born in Paris in 1924 to Armenian parents, Charles Aznavour (Tahar Rahim) is a singer-songwriter who fell completely in love with the stage and being in the spotlight as a kid, even though the stage and spotlight didn’t exactly reciprocate. Coming from a poor upbringing, boasting a raspy voice, standing at just 164cm tall, being skinny and possessing a nose that Edith recommends get fixed, many might say Charles Aznavour lacks true stage presence, but he certainly isn’t lacking in ambition or inherent talent. His sister Aïda (Camille Moutawakil) is his greatest supporter and helps to set him off on his way to becoming one of the greatest songwriters in history.

Like most, if not all biopics, there are two key and vastly different perceptions in which Monsieur Aznavour will be viewed by its audiences. Those of us who know nothing at all, or very little, about the subject being depicted and others who are better acquainted in some capacity with him. For those of you in the same shoes as me, the chronicling of his life and career is certainly one to be absorbed by. For others who do already know him, your assessment of this biopic will understandably be heavily influenced by your level of affection for the real-life Charles and this film’s ability to do him justice. The latter is where I hold major concerns.

Monsieur Aznavour covers a comprehensive scope of Charles’ life, starting at childhood and spanning several decades throughout his adult life and career. I can certainly appreciate the challenge that is presented in sharing the details of someone’s life over so many years, especially when that someone is personally known by writers & directors Mehdi Idir and Grand Corps Malade and has access to an abundance of archival material. This surely overwhelming task has unfortunately resulted in a movie that offers plenty of insights but almost all of which provide surface level detail and depth only. For example, chapter 1 of Monsieur Aznavour, which is told in chapters, chronicles Charles’ entire childhood in no more than 15 minutes. Consequently, there is little opportunity to become truly invested and emotionally drawn to both this film and its titular character, as good as Tahar Rahim’s performance may be. Personally, I believe we would have a much more enriching and intimate biopic upon us had Mehdi Idir and Grand Corps Malade made some tougher decisions on which aspects of Charles’ life to cut from their film, or tell differently, and which to hone their focus on more sharply. I will say though, what they cover in relation to Charles’ interactions with Edith Piaf (played quite well by Marie-Julie Baup) are more than satisfactory.

The other and final factor I hold concerns for Monsieur Aznavour’s ability to truly please audiences all round is its time jump problem. This is partially an extension of its skimming of details where for instance in one scene, we might first meet a new character and in the next Charles’ relationship with them has evolved much more than what is first apparent or what we have sufficient context for. Some of these developments are quite significant parts of his life and characterisation that again are nearly impossible to form any meaningful connection to or true understanding of.

Monsieur Aznavour is showing in selected cinemas across Australia from May 8th.

Moviedoc thanks Palace Films and The Backlot Studios for the invitation to the screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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