A fine, painstakingly detailed biopic of Claude Francois, the adored French crooner and co-writer of ‘My Way’, whose obsession with gaining and retaining stardom drove him from teen idol to ’70s disco demon (think Cliff Richard, with added kitsch), till his bizarre bathtub electrocution in 1978.
It doesn’t whitewash Francois’ alarmingly controlling ways with wives and workmates, but the loving recreations of Cloclo’s shows and lavish lifestyle don’t translate as well for UK audiences as the hip Gainsbourg did.
A pity, since Dardenne brothers favourite Jérémie Renier is uncannily good as the tightly wound star, as well as a dead ringer for him.