Director: Joann Sfar. Starring: Eric Elmosnino, Lucy Gordon, Laetitia Casta, Doug Jones. France/USA 2010. 135 mins. French with English subtitles.

While so many biopics can be criticised for idolising their subject, Gainsbourg stands up as a frank look at the life of an enigmatic musician whose legacy is second only to his legend. Based on director Sfar’s graphic novel of the same name, the film offers an introspective glimpse into the world of French singer Serge Gainsbourg, from his tough childhood growing up in Nazi-occupied Paris to his death in 1991, via his troubled yet hugely successful time as a songwriter in the 1960s. Eric Elmosnino (The Father Of My Children) is uncanny as the eponymous artiste, while Sfar’s elegant direction makes this a poetic homage that will thrill Gainsbourg disciples and the uninitiated alike.

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