Tahar Rahim wakes up Mr Aznavour
Transported by Tahar Rahim, formidable in the creation of Charles Aznavour, spectator of the biopic Mr Aznavour however, he will have the impression that the actor’s exceptional performance is that of a king in the desert. Indeed, Grand Corps Malade and Mehdi Idir’s new film, equipped with a big budget and calibrated to become a multi-millionaire in terms of admissions, only too rarely lives up to its casting in writing, diligently developing a classic treatment of the very classic codes of the most classic biopic.
Mr Aznavour illustrates the life of the French-Armenian singer and icon of French culture Charles Aznavour. A brilliant singer-songwriter, actor and writer, unofficial diplomat and one of the few French men and women to have his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, there is much to explore on this legendary journey. Evidently it is the singer we are talking about – with a single and too brief scene on the set of a film -, and these are his greatest tubes who chapter of the film. Mr Aznavour it’s a jukebox well-stocked and fans of the singer will find what they are looking for.
Without being original, the process is expected and works very well: Tahar Rahim achieves breathtaking vocal mimicry and continues to perfect his physical resemblance to Charles Aznavour throughout the film. Brilliant in practice, the sequences in which he sings are so surprising that, even if staged too gently, they strike the hearts of the most refractory audience.
A devouring spectacle
However, art is not mimicry. Or rather, mimicry is only the first level of creation, and Tahar Rahim brings more, and much more, to the character. The darkness, the dependence on work, the constant worry and the continuous flight forward… From one artist to another, there is perhaps the sharing of a destiny, the one to which nothing was promised but which made sure that everything happened through hard work, and this line is the clearest in the film.
But in this story of work and rise, Charles Aznavour has no time to stop. Maybe because he doesn’t have very clear ideas about what he wants to become. He wants to sing, be famous, rich, help his family, but nothing satisfies him or slows him down. No place seems suitable for resting. Perceiving it in Tahar Rahim’s compelling game, Charles Aznavour appears complex, selfish, often brilliant and sometimes mediocre, confident in his actions but otherwise lovable. lost in the universe around him, because he is already in the next one.
His relationship with Edith Piaf, extraordinarily played by Marie-Julie Baup, is therefore more bitter than sweet. He moves away from his wife and children, from his best friend, constantly on the roads and then on airlines around the world. Little by little, the drama of loneliness begins to resonate. But it all comes down to Tahar Rahim’s nuanced performance. And unfortunately the writing, directing and editing of Mr Aznavour follow him too rarely in the thousand facets and traces of fiction(s) which the actor addresses to Charles Aznavour, refusing to cast more than a brief glance towards these spaces in which he draws them. With the notable exception of the inclusion of a very famous sampled American rap song Because you believethe only infringement on the logic but nevertheless excessive plausibility of the film.
A casting that gives measure
Without a doubt there is no shyness worse than the serious one, and that of Mr Aznavour finally resolves itself into a perfectly identical chronological story: it is with the same weakness of intensity and the absence of a gaze other than the distant and flat one that we witness the announcement of the execution of Missak Manouchian, the triumph of the Alhambra or even the loss of one of Charles Aznavour’s sons.
We therefore rely on the very pleasant investment of the casting to find the momentum, Marie-Julie Baup who embodies a tormented Edith Piaf well, between mentor and twin from another era and a bit of evil from Charles Aznavour. Furthermore, Bastien Bouillon, whose incarnation of the historic partner and friend Pierre Roche gives beautiful moments to the duo with Tahar Rahim – in particular their passage in front of the American immigration service -, and it is finally these three actors who tell the story best ” Carlo ” in Mr Aznavoura burning, burning star hurtling through the void.
Mr Aznavour by Grand Corps Malade and Mehdi Idir, in theaters from October 23, 2024. Above is the trailer.
Source: Cine Serie
Ray Ortiz is a journalist at Gossipify, known for his coverage of trending news and current events. He is committed to providing readers with accurate and unbiased reporting, and is respected for his ability to keep readers informed on the latest news and issues.
