Don't be put off by the picture of the creepy-looking girl in pale makeup on the cover of "Amelie," or get the impression that it's a bizarre horror movie. It's actually a quirky French comedy/drama, with traces of magical realism to add to the tone.
It starts with the a random chain of events one of which results in the birth of a little girl named Amelie. She grows up lonely, living in a household with a cold father and neurotic mother. I will not list all the misfortunes that befall her, but suffice to say that she has enough heartbreak and misery to last her a lifetime. In the midst of her problems, she retreats into her imagination, and grows up into a good-hearted but shy young woman (played by Audrey Tatou) who has difficulty with social relationships, let alone a love life.
When she moves out of her father's house (her mother is dead,) she gets a small apartment and a job at a small cafe, surrounded by local eccentrics. Among these are a mentally unstable, bitter man stalking his ex-girlfriend, a hypochondriac who spends her time complaining about her ailments, and a mean-tempered grocer who verbally abuses and publicly humiliates his quiet employee, among others. There is one man, who spends his time in a train stations collecting photographs from under a photo booth, who Amelie has known since childhood and is secretly enamored with, but the doesn't get up the courage to talk to him.
The story really begins when Amelie discovers a small tin box hidden in her bathroom wall. Upon further inspection, she finds out in it is a collection of small items hidden by a little boy many years ago. That night, she decides that she will seek out the owner of the box, and if he is touched, she'll become a regular do-gooder. She proceeds to ask her neighbors if they know who the items belong to. They;don't, but from the stories they tell her; she realizes that she isn't the only lonely person around.
When she finally meets the owner of the box, it not only moves him greatly, it also makes him feel compelled to seek out his estranged daughter before he dies. Keeping with her promise, Amelie begins a journey to help the people around her using any means possible. Aiding her neighbors to find love and happiness, she also follows her own type of justice, punishing the nasty grocer with practical jokes. As the lives of others begin to improve, she comes to realize there is one person she isn't helping achieve her dreams- herself.
This film keeps you interested from the beginning, starting with a unique narration a Amelie's young life by an omnipotent narrator. It manages to get you involved with Amelie and her troubles. Although the narrator's voice disappears after a while, the interest in the story and characters prevails.
Unfortunately, it gets a bit confusing around the middle, and it took me three tries to get all the way through it. However, I continued to try to finish the movie, which is saying something. After it was done, I was pleased that I saw the whole thing, and I would recommend it to someone, especially one with a interest in foreign cinema. This is one of the best efforts to capture a character through filmmaking I have seen, and although it is along trip, it's well worth it. (Rated R)
It starts with the a random chain of events one of which results in the birth of a little girl named Amelie. She grows up lonely, living in a household with a cold father and neurotic mother. I will not list all the misfortunes that befall her, but suffice to say that she has enough heartbreak and misery to last her a lifetime. In the midst of her problems, she retreats into her imagination, and grows up into a good-hearted but shy young woman (played by Audrey Tatou) who has difficulty with social relationships, let alone a love life.
When she moves out of her father's house (her mother is dead,) she gets a small apartment and a job at a small cafe, surrounded by local eccentrics. Among these are a mentally unstable, bitter man stalking his ex-girlfriend, a hypochondriac who spends her time complaining about her ailments, and a mean-tempered grocer who verbally abuses and publicly humiliates his quiet employee, among others. There is one man, who spends his time in a train stations collecting photographs from under a photo booth, who Amelie has known since childhood and is secretly enamored with, but the doesn't get up the courage to talk to him.
The story really begins when Amelie discovers a small tin box hidden in her bathroom wall. Upon further inspection, she finds out in it is a collection of small items hidden by a little boy many years ago. That night, she decides that she will seek out the owner of the box, and if he is touched, she'll become a regular do-gooder. She proceeds to ask her neighbors if they know who the items belong to. They;don't, but from the stories they tell her; she realizes that she isn't the only lonely person around.
When she finally meets the owner of the box, it not only moves him greatly, it also makes him feel compelled to seek out his estranged daughter before he dies. Keeping with her promise, Amelie begins a journey to help the people around her using any means possible. Aiding her neighbors to find love and happiness, she also follows her own type of justice, punishing the nasty grocer with practical jokes. As the lives of others begin to improve, she comes to realize there is one person she isn't helping achieve her dreams- herself.
This film keeps you interested from the beginning, starting with a unique narration a Amelie's young life by an omnipotent narrator. It manages to get you involved with Amelie and her troubles. Although the narrator's voice disappears after a while, the interest in the story and characters prevails.
Unfortunately, it gets a bit confusing around the middle, and it took me three tries to get all the way through it. However, I continued to try to finish the movie, which is saying something. After it was done, I was pleased that I saw the whole thing, and I would recommend it to someone, especially one with a interest in foreign cinema. This is one of the best efforts to capture a character through filmmaking I have seen, and although it is along trip, it's well worth it. (Rated R)
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