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Amélie 2001 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
R, 120 min. (sexual content, brief nudity) |
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Starring: Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Dominique Pinon, Isabelle Nanty, Serge Merlin
Producers: Jean-Marc Deschamps, Claudie Ossard
Screenplay: Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Guillaume Laurant
Cinematography: Bruno Delbonnel
Distributor: Miramax Zoë
Released: 11.09.01 (Limited)
(In French with subtitles) |
Rating:
  (out of ) |
It's not hard to understand why director Jean-Pierre Jeunet's (Alien Resurrection, Delicatessen) latest film, Amélie, has quickly become one of the most
popular films around the world this year. It's original love story stands out in a crowded genre because of its immensely
likeable protagonist - a bubbly, wide-eyed waitress named Amélie. Shunned from the love she needed growing up,
Amélie finds contentment from bringing love to others through acts of kindness, which in turn forces love to find her.
A huge hit at various film festivals this year, Amélie quickly found a U.S. distributor in Miramax, a company that
prides itself in providing small treasures in filmmaking. The numerous supporters of the film makes it the odds-on favorite
to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film next March.
Amélie is popular because it never fails to involve its audience from start to finish. Jeunet's knack for cleverly
crafted scenes results in a freshness and quirky romanticism that would otherwise be absent from similar films. Through the
use of imaginary characters that interact with Amélie and quick cuts to emphasize her considerable imagination,
Jeunet has successfully walked a fine line between special effects that complement its story and those that are unnecessary.
It's also effective because of its comedic touch that drives its ability to relate to the audience. We can feel for Amélie
because everyone, at one time or another, has struggled with the emotions and the fear of intimacy that she must confront,
and how these uncomfortable situations can, at times, be humorous.
Amélie (Audrey Tatou) is shy, soft-spoken waitress at a café in Paris. She has no real purpose in life,
instead sits in her apartment and observes others, wishing she could break out of her daily routine. Her personality is
a result of a neglected childhood, where her mother and distant father provided little encouragement or love. Things
change, however, when Amelie finds a small box of kid's toys hidden in her apartment. She quickly sets out to find this
man who would obviously treasure such a memory. Her goodness results in the box's owner to make amends with his
son, and her purpose is now clear - she will help others around her. Various other good deeds follow, including helping
a blind man visualize the world around him, constructing a love letter to look like it had been written years ago and now
suddenly appears to her lonely neighbor (a widow whose husband had died overseas), and to steal her father's garden
gnome and send him pictures of its adventures around the world. Her latest project, Nino, a man who works in a porn
shop and collects pictures from a photo booth to add to his montage of faces, is more difficult because she falls in love with
him. Now she must muster the courage to meet, and eventually, develop a relationship with him.
One of the film's strengths is its colorful supporting characters. Amélie's coworkers in the café are uniquely diverse. From
the aspiring writer to the obsessive observer of others, they add another dimension to Amélie's world of eligible candidates
for inspiration. Jeunet also uses his distinct visual style to help frame a world that is ripe for Amélie's good-natured
deeds. Paris is given a smoothed-over look, free of many of the more negative aspects of the city. These devices,
coupled with wonderfully-nuanced performances, elevate Amélie to an unforgettable romantic comedy that deserves
special recognition.
Audrey Tautou's performance is nearly perfect for her role. She clearly relishes the opportunity to play a character that
seems to match her own personality in a positive way. She's able to convey feeling through facial expressions and reactions
to everyday situations that may seem commonplace to others. And the excitement and gravid joy she clearly receives from
helping others is contagious. It's a pleasure to see an actor having so much fun portraying their character.
Amélie is probably the most enjoyable two hours you can spend in a theater this year. It's a shame the film
is rated R (the MPAA considered one quick scene involving multiple orgasms too much for a PG-13 rating), because many
younger audiences would invariably enjoy it as well. Sweet and irresistible, Amélie blends a concoction that's impossible
to refuse. It's one of the year's best films.
© 2001 Jonathan Cornwell
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 |
 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
| Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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