Could there been a better time to review a classic than it's ten year anniversary?
Released only a decade ago Amelie has firmly established itself as a timeless classic. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet's best film so far (his latter films are a bit of a disappointment but check out his earlier works "Delicatessen" and "The City Of Lost Children"), here he is allowed full rein over his expressionistic ideas and visions, brought to live by a simplistic and charming story of a young girl with an imaginative and inventive mind growing up with little or no friends where all she has for company is her fantastical views on people and her unique look on life.
The story starts with a narrator regaling little facts about bluebottle flies before moving onto the main character and her family. Divulging further titbits in an entertaining and statistical manner over her families likes, dislikes and idiosyncrasy (not just about Amelie but every character the camera comes across, we get a little story on obsessive compulsive behaviours ranging from bubble wrap popping to bone cracking). As we follow Amelie on her fabulous journey (the English literal translation is The Fabulous Life of Amelie Poulain!) one event which affects our heroine is the death of Lady Diana. With the news playing in the background Amelie drops a lid, that rolls towards a tile, which happens to be loose and it's there she finds someones hidden childhood memories. That night she decides to track down it's owner, return it to him and if they are grateful she'll continue to do further good deeds. From there on the film goes off on an extraordinary and incredible adventure where she becomes a match maker, a tour guide, a deceased lover and a woman looking for love amongst others.
It's a film that is so beautifully shot with outstanding colourisation and a marvelous use of warm soft Earthy tones of greens, reds and yellows. Paris has never looked so autumnal. The complementary colours of the greens and reds brings out the vibrancy and warmth which gives the film more heart and feeling. It's a quality the film never veers away from and as a failed artist it's not too hard to spot the beauty and artistry of the cinematography. Along with the beautiful music by Yann Tiersen, they combine to add an elegance and haunting beauty to what is already a feast for the eyes let alone the ears.
The breakout performance from Audrey Tautou as Amelie who in nature appears child like and innocence enables her to tug on viewers heartstrings at all the right places. A spot-on capture of someone who is positive and has their heart in the right place though has a sly wicked streak for those who deserve punishment (a comical moment in the film where she teaches a market vendor a lesson or two in humbleness and humility). With a uniformly strong supporting cast (keep your eyes out for Jeunets regulars Dominique Pinon and Rufus) the story ticks along with each characters little foibles creating a world where perfection is not the norm and everyone has their own little obsessive behaviours whether they know it or not.
Cynics of you may not buy into its charms or understand Amelie's take on the world and life. The mixture of fantasy, dreams and reality may not be everyone's taste but it's undeniably wonderful and captures the human spirit and it's faults to a tee. It's an escape from reality and that is what cinema is all about. You don't go to see the mundane and the drab (though in this film even the mundane and the drab are given beauty and purpose). Here, the joys and euphoria come at you in equal measure and one persons act of kindness is surely something that's not too hard to imagine.
This is dedicated to my wife, my very own Amelie as this is one of her favourite films, and like Amelie she has a heart of gold and would do anything and everything for anyone.
Acting 4.5/5
Technical Merit 4.5/5
Narrative 4.5/5
Entertainment 5/5
18.5/20
