Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Lorella Cravotta, Claire Mourier,
Yolanda Moreau, Dominique Pinon, Urbain Cancelier, Michel Robin, Isabelle Nanty, Clotilde
Mollet, Serge Merlin, Jamel Debbouze.
Co-written and Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
Amelie (Tautou) was born to Raphael and Amandine Poulain (Rufus and Cravotta) in
mid 1970's France. Her mother died when she was young, and her reserved father never
has been able to express affection for Amelie. Amelie grew up isolated at home, without
friends to play with, only her dreams and imaginary friends to keep her company. When
she was old enough to leave home, she moved into the Montmartre district of Paris,
working as a waitress in a local cafe. In the cafe, fellow waitress Gina (Mollet)
and hypocondriac tobacconist Georgette (Nanty) work with Amelie. Gina's bitter ex-lover
Joseph (Pinon) spends his hours
in the cafe watching her every move. In Amelie's apartment building live Raymond
"the Glass Man" (Merlin), named because of the extreme brittleness in his bones,
who paints a new Renoir copy every year, as well as the gruff local grocer Collingnon
(Cancelier) and his assistant Lucien (Debbouze).
One day, while watching the news bulletin of the death of Lady Di, Amelie discovers
a hidden treasure in her apartment, and sets out to find its owner. When she does
and it works out well for the recipient, she decides to intervene in other peoples'
lives to help them to find love or make them feel better. In the course of her do-gooder
work, she meets an unusual man Nino (Kassovitz) who likes to collect thrown away pictures
from photo booths. She begins to fall in love with him, but can't bring herself to
actually come out and talk to him. After helping others fall in love,
the question is whether Amelie will find the courage and seize the opportunity to
grab love for herself.
Amelie won the top prize at the Toronto Film Festival as audience favourite,
and has done boffo business in its native France. It's easy to see why. Shot throughout
Paris, using Montmartre, the magnificent Sacre Coeur Cathedral as well as reportedly
eighty city locations, Amelie is charming and sweet (but not saccharine).
The film is two hours of true romance and fun. A carefree and whimsical tone pervades
the film, as it flits from one quirky event to another. There isn't really a plot,
but rather a series of events that often appear to be unrelated, but eventually many
of the loose ends are tied together. There are a few sequences that are a bit too
much, such as the ground shaking as two characters express their love, but by and
large the images and quirks consistently work. The various events are not what's important -
the sense of delight in the possibilities in life and the personal discovery for Amelie is.
There are two main characters, and both are outstanding. The first is Tautou, whose
awkward beauty and wide-eyed innocence will charm even the most jaded viewer. She
wonderfully conveys the hesitation and sometimes loneliness of a shy person who would
rather bring love and romance to other people than to herself. The second is Paris,
beautifully photographed and whose feeling and atmosphere are unerringly captured.
I could almost smell the baguettes. From the corner grocer, to the side-street cafes,
to the Metro, to the carnival near Sacre Coeur, this film captures Paris. If seeing
this doesn't make you want to hop on a plane to visit the city, nothing will. The rest
of the cast is strong, notably Pinon as the bitter barfly desperate for love, and Merlin
as the melancholy and lonely painter.
Amelie is a unique and positive view of life and love. Treat yourself.
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