Amelie
Perhaps you're wondering why you should care about a subtitled French film when most other moviegoers are rushing out to see the latest Hollywood blockbuster. The answer is simple: Amelie is bursting with originality and creativity that's sorely lacking from 90 percent of the crap Hollywood has churned out this year. So go ahead and do yourself a favor and check out a film that won't leave you kicking yourself for dishing out $7.50 to view a piece of overinflated Hollywood hype.
Amelie begins by introducing us to the title character as a child. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet sets a whimsical tone as he shows us how luck (good and bad) shaped Amelie's life. Jeunet also rapidly details the unusual fetishes of a variety of characters. While Jeunet delights in showing us the hilarious idiosyncrasies of people throughout the film, he doesn't condescend to them. Rather, he invites the viewer to celebrate these unusual pleasures as part of the joy of life.
Years later, when she's a young woman, Amelie discovers an object in her apartment that leads to a life revelation: She'll take it upon herself to make others happy. As such, she plays matchmaker with a coworker and bar patron, lifts the spirits of a bitter widow, and reminds a crippled old man about the beauty of life. She also tries to reinvigorate her father's spirit, which has soured since the death of her mother.
Despite her success in helping those around her, Amelie remains painfully shy when dealing with others, particularly a potential love interest named Nino (actor/director Mathiew Kassovitz, best known for helming the stunning French drama Hate). Fortunately, Amelie brings her joy for life to their courtship, unfazed by the fact that Nino spends his free time scraping pictures from underneath photo booths and compiling a personal scrapbook from these clippings.
Although some of the story elements of Amelie are familiar, Jeunet and co-screenwriter Guillaume Laurant spin the tale into a fresh and original film. The sheer imagination in the various ways Amelie brightens others' lives and courts Nino is astonishing and sure to bring a smile to your face. The characters in this film aren't cardboard cutout Hollywood stereotypes; instead, they have quirks, perks and flaws that make them infinitely more endearing.
The excellent writing is complemented by the film's superb visual look, courtesy of Jeunet and Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel. The originality that goes into so many of the shots makes it clear that these two put a tremendous amount of thought into the film's look. It's a thrill to see creativity like this at work.
Audrey Tautou is perfect in the role of Amelie, appearing na•ve and optimistic without ever becoming obnoxious. That's a rare skill that, coupled with her excellent comic timing, should make her an international star.
Jeunet has a lot to say about happiness and the human spirit, and it's interesting that Amelie's journey into philanthropy begins when she learns of Princess Diana's death. Perhaps Di's gift for giving has been symbolically passed to Amelie? Considering how often Diana's name comes up through the film, it's interesting to conjecture...
If Hollywood had made Amelie, odds are high they would have gotten in wrong, streamlining the characters' oddities and making them less intriguing; casting beautiful Hollywood actors that would have betrayed the film's authentic human touch; and making the film's visuals an afterthought. Kudos to Jeunet, then, for getting Amelie right. The film is a funny, fresh, original and creative romantic comedy that makes you feel good while earning its positive sentiment. Now you see why you should be standing up and taking notice?
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Some wine would be a fine addition to a romantic evening with Amelie, but this is hardly a chugging flick.
If you can't get some action after watching this movie, I'm afraid there's not much I can do to help you.
Buy the film's soundtrack from Amazon.com
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