Yves Saint Laurent, while magnificent in cinematography and dutiful in story, probably could have pushed itself further to create a more dynamic telling of the wunderkind's life and work.

| Feb 1, 2020

Yves Saint Laurent may have suffered from being one of two separate biopics about the fashion icon, and the more narratively straightforward of the pair. Luckily, the strengths of the performances help make for an entertaining, engaging drama.

| Oct 10, 2019

A formulaic "fallen genius" film that represents its influential subject and the fashion industry respectfully, but it would have been a better film had it just dug a little deeper.

| Original Score: 6.5/10 | Mar 28, 2019

Even with its flaws, Yves Saint Laurent is a satisfying film on a purely visual level.

| Nov 8, 2018

Lespert has played it safe but stylish.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 22, 2018

Therein lies the problem with the biopic, whilst beautifully shot with exquisite shots of Parisian and Moroccan interiors, clothes and wonderful soundtrack it feels all very carefully managed.

| Aug 22, 2018

Directed by Jalil Lespert, the film has a peculiar voiceover from Berg, and eventually peters out in a mess of petty jealousies, drugs and illness.

| Jan 2, 2018

It seems like Bertrand Bonello asumes the spectator knows every detail of the complicated life Yves Saint Laurent lived. [Full review in Spanish]

| May 25, 2016

If design is a fine art (YSL was the subject of a Met show), then this is a designer's "Lust for Life".

| Apr 24, 2015

Scenes between YSL and rock-steady lover Pierre Berg (Guillaume Gallienne) spark, but the film stays too reverent to truly turn heads.

| Original Score: B | Dec 3, 2014

Pierre Niney Niney has a strong, yet fragile presence, as if he's in a Woody Allen film being directed by the ghost of Anthony Minghella.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 10, 2014

stylish-boy, is it stylish-but lacking in substance.

| Oct 2, 2014

This glitzy biopic of the renowned French fashion designer doesn't offer much insight into its subject or milieu.

| Aug 29, 2014

The film takes on a dour note as way too much time is spent on Saint Laurent's drunken antics. He comes across as sullen and not very likable. This may be true to the man, but what of his other side?

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Aug 28, 2014

The resulting bio-drama feels like any other generic formula self-destructive artist tale, one that captures the surface of Saint Laurent, but not his essence.

| Aug 28, 2014

One of the issues is that Lespert provides little insight into Saint Laurent's creative genius.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 15, 2014

The genius of the title remains as inscrutable as ever.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 15, 2014

Does a film with haute couture as its heart guarantee an elegant cinematic experience? In the case of Yves Saint Laurent, a biopic about the legendary French couturier, the answer is a tired non.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 15, 2014

Despite being sumptuously shot and competently assembled, it provides no real insight into the tortured mind of its subject or the creative process in general.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Aug 15, 2014

Yves Saint-Laurent is an elegantly filmed and exceptionally acted biopic that may be too tasteful a drama for such a ravishing figure.

| Original Score: 6/10 | Aug 7, 2014