Amélie, a young waitress at a Cafe, is an introvert by nature due to her strict upbringing. Her cocooned childhood makes her appreciate the little pleasures of life. One fine day when she discovers a little box containing the photo of a child along with his miniature toys, hidden behind a slab in her bathroom, she decides return it to its rightful owner & on seeing that person’s delight she vouches to do her almighty best to please the general public in her vicinity, all the while silently craving for love herself.
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Language:
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French
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Running Time:
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123 min
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Rating:
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R
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Release date:
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25 April 2001
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Directed by:
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Jean-Pierre Jeunet
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Produced by:
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Jean-Marc Deschamps
Claudie Ossard
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Written by:
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Guillaume Laurant
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
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Starring:
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Audrey Tautou
Mathieu Kassovitz
Yolande Moreau
Serge Merlin
Claire Maurier
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Music by:
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Yann Tiersen
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Shot by:
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Bruno Delbonnel
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Editing by:
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Hervé Schneid
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Distributed by:
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Miramax Films
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What’s Hot
- It is quite uncommon for a film led by a female protagonist to achieve cult status & so much critical as well as commercial acclaim. Guillaume Laurant & Jean-Pierre Jeunet deserve every bit of the appreciation as they have created a film that is bound to stand for generations to come as a reference point.
- Audrey Tatou is exemplary in her portrayal of Amélie. She weaves magic on-screen with her almost poisonous charm & enchanting smile (that too into the camera!). She creates an instant connect with the viewer & is especially cute when she kidnaps a gnome and plays matchmaker. Little Flora Guiet also deserves equal praise for establishing Amelie’s character in each expression during the initial phases of the film.
- The film possesses a long cast list but failing to credit them would be a disrespecting the very core of the film. While the film moves through Amélie’s eyes, it is whom she sees, a man who collects discarded public pay photo booth pictures, a stalker armed with a microcassette recorder, a failed writer (a tribute to the Philosopher from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Idiot), the incredibly mean grocer & his meek assistant who believes ‘Life is Beautiful’ etc,.
- The technical team deserves immense credit for their sense of color, prop placement, novel transitions & some stunning cinematography. Sequences such as Black & white videos of Amelie’s thoughts, the Zorro influence, deftly writing the Café menu in reverse, literally melting in disappointment, ultra close-up shots show the appreciation for fantasy & art within the film.
- The popularity and reach of a film’s score can be easily determined by the amount it has been copied by many or inspired so many more. Amélie’s score by Yann Tiersen falls under this bracket and plays a vital part in immersing the viewer into the pretty Paris streets.
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Cinema Rendezvous
To rejoice & to reflect with the world of Cinema - A Chennai based Film Club. Showcasing films with fine discussions.The club meets once a month on Second Saturdays by 9.45 am @ Hotel Savera. Each date has a screening followed by an informal discussion with a distinguished guest.Verdict
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