Gainsbourg

 

Joann Sfar has subtitled his film about iconic figure Serge Gainsbourg 'Vie héroïque'; whether the subject's life deserves that description is open to debate, but in the hands of this debutant filmmaker it certainly is a remarkable tale to behold. Gainsbourg follows the artist from his childhood in Nazi-occupied France, through his triumphs, disasters and romances into his sad decline, but with a freshness and vitality that so many screen biopics lack. Gainsbourg himself is brought to life by Eric Elmosnino's incredible performance, while Sfar has found equally uncanny likenesses for the key women in this tale (Laetitia Casta in an outrageously sexy cameo as Brigitte Bardot and the late Lucy Gordon as the long-suffering Jane Birkin). The picture is somewhat flawed however, suffering from an uneven structure and some hugely problematic pacing, particularly in the draggy, aimless final third. However, even if it never quite coheres, Gainsbourg remains a passionate and frequently thrilling tribute to a singular artist. [Philip Concannon,]