Plot Outline: Amelie, an innocent and naive girl in Paris, with her own sense of justice, decides to help those around her and along the way, discovers love. (more)(view trailer)
User Comments:
Wittily observed and quirky romance that's imaginative and sweet
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Date: 29 December 2003 Summary: Wittily observed and quirky romance that's imaginative and sweet
Amélie grows up a slightly introverted child as a result of her unusual
parents. When she grows up she has her own unusual habits and quirks.
When
she finds a hidden box of childhood toys in her house she decides to track
down the owner and return it to him. Seeing the happiness that she brings
to him she resolves to work in secret to make other people happy. However
can she be happy herself?
I wasn't sure what to expect with this film - I'd heard others raving on
the
boards about it but didn't even know the most basic of plot details about
it, I didn't even know who the director was. When the opening credits
rolled and I saw that it was Jeunet as director I immediately realised
that
this may not be as straightforward as I had thought. Almost immediately,
the different humour comes through in lots of ways - from little things
like
the way the cameras moves up to the full script. The plot doesn't totally
work and some of the strands are a little unclear, but overall the film
really works well as an alternative romance that is as sweet as it is
quirky.
The influence of Jeunet is the main reason the film works as well as it
does. He tones down his usual darker style and delivers something just as
different and unusual but much lighter and refreshing. As writer he does
a
great job coming up with imaginative characters and situations. The other
reason it works so well is through the performance of Tautou; she is such
a
wide eyed innocent - sweet without being sickly and likable without taking
away from her quirkiness. The support cast are all good and features a
few
Jeunet regulars but really it is Tautou's film and she carries it well
thanks to the great work of the director.
Overall this is a surprisingly sweet film that took me by surprise and was
sweetly charming and lovely without falling into cliché - it was different
and quirky in a refreshingly enjoyable way. If you come to this expecting
one of `the greatest films ever made' then you may be a little surprised
because the film is quite unassuming and is best enjoyed when you come to
it
fresh.
company.
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