One person can change your life forever (Amelie (DVD))

Member Name: JJJJ

Product:	Amelie (DVD)
Date:	11/06/09 (163 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unique look to the film, great screenplay

Disadvantages: Amelie is occasionally too happy...

Whilst myself and fellow dooyooer 'reluctantreviews' were looking for something to watch the other night, we came across 'Amelie' or 'Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain' to give it it's original and slightly longwinded French title. As one of us hadn't seen it for years, and the other hadn't seen it at all, we decided to give it a viewing.

Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the film tells the story of Amelie Poulain (Audrey Tautou), an unusual but imaginative woman who is adept at noticing the finer details of life. Upon finding a box in her apartment containing the childhood toys and assorted memorabilia of a former resident, Amelie decides to locate the box's owner and return it. When she notices the effects that a simple act of kindness can bring to others, our eponymous heroine takes it upon herself to become a general doogooder - kind of like a superhero with an agenda to make people happy.

Upon briefly meeting and subsequently losing a man named 'Nino' (Mathieu Kassovitz) who has a discarded passport-photo obsession, things take a turn for the unusual, and a cat and mouse game begins for his affection - but will Amelie get her man?

Beginning with a narrated section explaining Amelie's unusual upbringing, the film is instantly visually impressive, using bold vibrant colours and unusual camera angles to add a general quaintness to proceedings. It seems that since the film was released in 2001, many productions have borrowed from this unique style - an example of which can be seen in the fast paced narrative and vibrant palette used in the series 'Pushing Daisies'.

As a native French film, subtitles are used throughout, and this occasionally results in the viewer missing some of the visual beauty of the film. It's hard to focus on two things at once, and reading whilst taking everything in onscreen is an art which takes a while to adapt to.

I suppose the genre which Amelie would fit into would be a 'lighthearted romantic drama', although this is definitely a lighthearted romantic drama with a twist. The director often focuses on the trivial information which surrounds the plot, rather than the obvious detail, and there are a few sections which utilise isolated CGI elements to add a fairytale style to proceedings. These moments are on the whole very well done, although I feel they could have been utilised more as they add charm and an extra appeal to the film.

As the story progresses, we get to see both side of Amelie, both altruistic and fragile - Audrey Tautou puts in a stellar performance in the lead role, portraying the sweet but unusual young lady with a natural appeal. It's difficult to assess the quality of a performance when it's undertaken in another language, but Tatou seems to be delivering her lines in a exemplorary manner, and is spot-on in her timing. That said, there were times when I found the sugary nature and overly smiley face of Amelie to be a little annoying - but if you've read some of my previous reviews, you'll notice I get annoyed with the slightest detail, and my opinion should usually be dismissed ;)

In terms of the other performances, the supporting other actors are all solid, and although largely peripheral compared to Tatou's role, they help add to the rich tapestry which forms the bizarre world in which they inhabit.

All in all, Amelie is an entertaining and laid-back film which will make a nice change if you've watched a lot of high-octane action flicks recently. Jean-Pierre Jeunet has helped create a colourful and visually exciting movie which tells a story from an unusual perspective, and although slightly long, it certainly makes for an entertaining spectacle. I would say that the film would perhaps appeal more to a female audience, but due to the dynamic screenplay and visual intregue, it's a movie which should keep all genders happy - recommended.

The DVD version of Amelie costs £4.98 from amazon.co.uk, and contains a director's commentary, storyboards, a teaser trailers, a director's interview, and a 'making of Amelie' featurette.

Summary: Subtitled Gem