CloClo

I grew up with Claude François and remember being very sad when he died, even if I was only 6 at the time. Although my taste in music changed drastically over the years, hearing the old Cloclo songs still get me nostalgic nevertheless. I was eager to watch the film as soon as I heard about it. The film captured the era incredibly well and the whole film is beautifully orchestrated, with a spectacular photography throughout, it never fails to captivate. I was also entranced by the performance of Jeremy Renier, who must be the best doppelgänger around, as he manages to portray Claude François like he was: the mannerisms, the dancing, his talking and even singing voice. Most of all, he is able to bring to life, the singer's complex character. Whether you knew the man or not, this film will spellbound anyone.

We knew nothing of the singer Cloclo of the title (nor could we have cared less) but from the first scenes we were captivated. No fans of europop, more likely to despise than listen, nonetheless this story is as fascinating as any great classic novel. The director and cinematographer, the star Jérémie Renier, are all superb, giving us a visual and musical feast spanning the history of pop (again a subject which leaves me cold) which was so deftly handled, so exquisitely performed and shot that one is entranced. The opening scenes in Egypt are so strong that one knows immediately that this film has a very powerful story to tell. I watched it alone and then made everyone watch it with me and after three minutes everyone was hooked and watched it to the end despite it being an inappropriate time to be glued to the box. From a household that couldn't care less about french pop stars we say, wow, it's too good to miss. I think Jérémie Renier should get an oscar and the director deserves one too. Moving, fun, uplifting, tragic, inspiring, a man's life becomes a spectacle that is hypnotising. We are now fans of CloClo and hope that his family is thriving. We will also be watching out for more treats from this stunning director and his amazingly talented chameleon star Jérémie Renier.

I loved Claude Francois when I was little, I used to listen to his music all the time when visiting my gran in France. This film is a lovely tribute to him and the actor who played him was really good. He wrote an iconic song! So young to die. Very good portrayal of him. Would definitely recommend this movie.

A whirlwind of a bio-pic, not, perhaps, as inventive as 'La Mome', but certainly capturing the period brilliantly. The central performance is terrific, portraying the singer as a huge ego alternating between bouts of supreme self-confidence and equally consuming periods of jealousy and paranoia, a 'warts and all' portrayal, embracing his complicated relationship with his father and the way in which those who love him and help him are sacrificed to his hunger for success. Bordering on sentimentality at times - the Sinatra hagiography, for example - it does manage to avoid mawkishness. Worth seeing.

Claude Francois was unknown to me before watching the film. Afterwards I wanted to discover more about him . The film was the story of his rise to fame in France. He was as big as The Beatles and adored by his young fans. The acting was convincing and drew me in to the story. It is a tale of hardship as well as riches. I enjoy french films and sub titles never bother me. I studied O level french and watching french films has the added bonus of improving my knowledge of the language.