It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I was recommended this movie by my sister who is, like many girls, really into fashion. For her Yves Saint-Laurent represents one of the great masters of fashion. A man that was born to make women look beautiful. Now that said, I really don't see anything in the movie a man who is not particularly into fashion could like about it. The story of YSL is boring at best. Not his actual life but the way he is portrayed. Falling into drugs at a pretty young age and not being able to ever keep it together during the majority of his life. He had a boyfriend/manager who is used as the person telling the story of the fashion legend. By the end of the movie, I don't know if you feel like you have find out loads of things about YSL that you didn't know, you are just left to wonder how his boyfriend put up with him for so long.

The worst movie after "Wilde" 1996 with Stephen Fry and Jude Law. The true about Great Yves St Laurent is in his works it is not in his sexuality. This movie is the second after Wilde that synthesizes two genres - biography with gay soft porno. As a cinema it is zero. We can watch it on the level of the texture - a big misunderstanding, lack of consistency that materialize the psychotic moment in life of Yves.But why this should be interesting, why this orgiastic presentation of the life of genius. I prefer Yves Saint Laurent Aufgehoben in movies, f.ex Visconti 's collaboration with Laurent- Berger, Joseph Losey's ("Romantic English Woman), Claude Lelouch, etc.The authors only superficially placed the topic of neurotic obsession, hysteria and they ferociously fail to do something with this, so why they mention it at all..use it or lose it. Again, not much to be said about such biographic soft porn melodrama. I am sure Berge and Slimane are dismissing the movie

In many respects, this biopic of the titular fashion designer is everything you might expect. It is full of beautiful people wearing beautiful clothes in beautiful surrounds. Fortunately though, Yves Saint Laurent is much more than that and we do get some insight into a man whose demons very nearly threatened to derail his reputation and career on more than one occasion. Too often, biographical films try to cram too much into the limited running time that a motion picture necessarily demands, so it is very pleasing that director Jalil Lespert has avoided the temptation to cover every stage of Saint Laurent's life and career, opting instead to focus, for the most part, on his emergence as a pre-eminent figure in French fashion circles and the ensuing bouts of self-destructive behaviour that threatened to overshadow his creative genius. The film does touch on the later stages of Saint Laurent's life, but primarily to contextualise the relationship with lifelong partner Pierre Berge, who we first meet in a pre-credit sequence set after Saint Laurent's death. The story is then told as a recollection of events from Berge, who provides a second-person narration as though it is being delivered to Saint Laurent himself.Pierre Niney takes on the role of the Algerian-born Saint Laurent, who we first meet at home in Oran on the Mediterranean coast. Whilst still in his teens, Saint Laurent finds himself working for Christian Dior, whose death in 1957 propelled Saint Laurent into the role of head designer at Dior's fashion house at just 21 years of age. Already encumbered by a social anxiety that he attributes to childhood bullying, Saint Laurent finds it difficult to cope with the aura of expectation that surrounds him. When he is drafted into the French military, Saint Laurent finds himself unable to cope, is confined to a psychiatric hospital and subjected to electroshock treatment. Sacked by Dior as a result, Saint Laurent establishes his own brand with the help of Berge (Guillaume Gallienne), a cash settlement secured from his former employer and the support of an American investor. From this point, Saint Laurent emerges as a superstar of the fashion world; each new collection met with adoring enthusiasm. However, whilst his professional profile explodes and he cements his reputation as one of the truly great designers, he sets out on a path of self-destruction; partaking in drugs, excessive alcohol consumption and infidelity in an effort to combat the depression, anxiety and insecurity that plague him.This is very much a film that examines the relationship between Saint Laurent and Berge, with the latter emerging as a stoic hero figure who stands by Saint Laurent throughout the tumult that was their personal and business relationship. If what we see is to be believed (and I have no reason to suggest we shouldn't), then Berge was a guardian angel for the troubled designer, serving as manager, constant companion, lover and lifesaver. It is hardly surprising therefore that the real life Berge has endorsed the film, which is based, in part, on his book Letters to Yves. Furthermore, Berge has praised the performances of both actors, telling Vogue magazine that he was "blown away by Pierre Niney's performance. It really disconcerted me. It even upset me, because it's very difficult. At times, I thought it was Yves Saint Laurent himself. That's huge." On Gallienne, Berge declared "I think he's an extraordinary actor." Of course, as a result of Berge's ties to the project, the filmmakers were granted access to Saint Laurent's original design studio and more than 70 of his vintage outfits and, it must be said, the clothes are stunning. Another key figure in Saint Laurent's life during his rise to fame was model Victoire Doutreleau (played by the stunning Charlotte Le Bon), who was one of Saint Laurent's few close friends until forced out of his life by Berge, who considered her a bad influence.Yes, the film is a celebration of Saint Laurent's creative genius, but it certainly doesn't shy away from the darker side of his personality. It is a reminder of the destructive nature of disorders such as depression and anxiety, even amongst those who seemingly have it all. The film looks elegant – sumptuous even – and the musical score draws upon classical, jazz, rock and opera at different times, to mostly good effect. Ultimately, Yves Saint Laurent is an engaging, if somewhat genteel, examination of the life (or part thereof at least) of a talented yet troubled individual. Lespert has crafted a film that explores the darker side of Saint Laurent's personality without diminishing his legacy as a fashion icon.

The name alone should be something people recognize. For women but even for men the name should mean something. Same goes for me, though I was never aware of the story behind the man who created a trademark. It's a bit of a cliché that men who "make" dresses, are more likely to be drawn to men. But the movie does a good job of finding a balance and showing off a real human being. One with many flaws and vices, as many as virtues I suppose.So even if you're not aware of the man himself, you might find something intriguing here. And the beautiful Charlotte is a great companion to break into the male dominated world, where obviously the focus lies on our main actor. And a terrific job he's doing here, always balancing many aspects of a life that while many have longed for, none would have wanted to turn exactly like that. Being with people, does not take away sadness or loneliness ... but watching this playing out, is more than incredible.