Music, musings and miscellanea

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca

Trying to sift through the legend of Serge Gainsbourg is no small task. In France, the man is considered a demigod, a raconteur of astounding wit who changed the face of music. Here in North America, he’s viewed more as a drunk lothario whose musical output conjures images of a triple-x Leonard Cohen. As with most things in life, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, not that Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life makes any effort to reconcile myth from man.

Made in France, director Joann Sfar (who also wrote the graphic novel on which the film is based) includes the quote “Gainsbourg transcends reality. I much prefer his lies to his truths” at the end of the film, making it abundantly clear which side of the divide he falls on. The film follows the usual biopic formula, showing key moments from the singer’s life. He grew up Jewish in Nazi-occupied France, becoming a disenchanted painter before following his songwriting muse.

Along the way, he romances a number of high profile women, Juliette Gréco, Bridget Bardot and Jane Birkin among them.Throughout the movie, Sfar shows how at odds Gainsbourg was with himself, showing a grotesque caricature following him throughout his life, questioning his decisions.

Some terrific performances from Kacey Mottet Klein as the young Lucien Ginsburg (his real name) and Eric Elmosnino as the adult one carry the film, along with Gainsbourg’s genuinely interesting life story, as he bounces from woman to woman, encountering some of twentieth century France’s most influential figures (Fréhel, Dali).

In terms of extras, the DVD includes the usual deleted scenes and making-of featurettes. Although occasionally funny, ultimately there is very little to elevate Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life beyond the level of run-of-the-mill biopic.

“Je T’aime… Moi Non Plus”

It’s ironic that the final creative project from a performer who spent his entire career striving for polished perfection would be something this raw.

Originally intended as filler for a 3-D concert film of Michael Jackson’s UK comeback shows, This is It was pieced together by director and longtime Jackson collaborator Kenny Ortega from footage shot during the four months of rehearsals leading up to Jackson’s death in June.

It tracks the star from the press conference announcing the shows, through dancer tryouts, band rehearsals and video shoots, interspersed with rehearsal performances of Jackson’s biggest hits.

As the film opens with Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, it’s almost shocking to see Jackson doing what he does best: Singing and dancing. Having not played a show in a decade, the King of Pop has offered up nothing to balance out his tabloid lifestyle.

Even more shocking is seeing how fierce a dancer he remained to the end, frequently upstaging dancers half his age. The film’s best segments come from scenes using split screens to contrast a song’s evolution over the course of rehearsals, particularly on Human Nature and The Way You Make Me Feel.

While the film’s first 45 minutes are thrilling, giving a rare glimpse of Jackson’s creative process, it loses steam two-thirds of the way through.

What comes across is Jackson’s active participation in the creation of these shows. The film’s best moments capture him directing the band or dancers to meet his high expectations And based on the footage, the London shows would have been spectacular. But This Is It feels more like the greatest DVD bonus feature than a feature film.

This review originally appeared at Metronews.ca