I chose a quiet Friday afternoon to visit my nearest Picturehouse cinema and see which films were on offer. If I’m going to see a movie in a weekday matinee, Friday is my day of choice. I opted for the biopic Gainsbourg about the controversial French singer.
The cinema in the afternoon is a very different beast to the weekends and evenings. It seems to attract people who are watching on their own. Each of us was spoiled by having our very own row. You think to yourself – where shall I sit? Seat one? Seat five? Seat eight? I can safely say the atmosphere was very quiet, serious and grown-up.
The film starts with Lucien Ginsburg’s (later to be Serge Gainsbourg’s) childhood and his surprising dislike of the piano, the challenges and fears of being Jewish in the seond world war and his precociousness with women even as a boy.
There was a dreamlike feel to the film with this oversized character called The Mug following him around as a portrayal of his confidence, tempting him to be daring. We see his change from artist to musician, the steady stream of women in and out of his life and his battle with alcoholism towards the end. Eric Elmosnino played him with uncanny likeness as an adult. British actress Lucy Gordon played his lover and wife Jane Birkin. One sad event was that Lucy committed suicide after making the film.
If there was one complaint, it was that the music didn’t feature as much as I’d like. One dear friend of mine has mentioned one of his albums as a key influencer to bands like Air. However, there were snippets of Je t’aime moi non plus and the excellent Bonnie & Clyde. In all it was worth taking the impromptu trip to catch a film.
Cherrydial 
Excellent review, very insightful.
Thanks Dermot. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Great to have good feedback.
Aha, the Gainsbourg review!
If only I had my own Mug, fame would be my constant companion.
My mug would hold me back from eating cakes and chocolates