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‘A Magnificent Life’ Review: Director Sylvain Chomet Brings French Icon’s Life To Visual Glory In Biopic Toon That Plays It Safe – Annecy Animation Festival
A review of 'A Magnificent Life' , the animated biopic from French director Sylvain Chomet looks at the life and times of the iconic French legend
Chomet’s film covers much of this, but it all floats by without much detailed examination, more like a “and then I wrote” sort of format, but certainly we do see how his personal life affected his professional career, with numerous marriages including to Jacqueline Bouvier Pagnol and the tragic death of their 2 year old daughter. There really isn’t room for everything but I would have liked to spend more time savoring a film like 1935’s Merlusse which has turned out to be one of the most successful in the afterlife of Pagnol, influencing director Alexander Payne’s 2023 English language remake, The Holdovers. It’s not exactly Super Mario Bros- family friendly, but Chomet’s stunning hand drawn animation with its lovely Stefano Bollani musical score gives new reason to celebrate Pagnol and this maginificent life as seen by an admiring artist of a later generation paying deep homage to a master.
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