Review of Amélie (2001) by Seancriswell — 02 Apr 2013

Amelie is born to parents who while caring and intelligent never show her the affection children crave, and shelter her from fear that she has a heart condition. Naturally as soon as Amelie is old enough she wants to venture out into the real world. She feels like an outcast but soon realizes that the people in her life feel like outcasts for one reason or another and she sets out to do the things for them they will not do for themselves to make them happy. Unless you are heartless it will be impossible for you not to find Amelie endearing, and most of us can probably relate to her insecurities in one way or another. As Amelie works through her insecurities and tries to do something to make herself happy, as well as those around her, our fondness for her grows and grows.

The title character is not the only thing that Jeunet does well in Amelie. The supporting characters are well thought out and blend perfectly in Amelie's world. This film is also beautifully shot. There are many breathtaking frames in Amelie. His use of color is also impeccable and adds much to the visual tone of this movie. The casting of Tautou can also not be overstated. She is perfect in this role, I can't imagine another actress playing her as well.

The themes in Amelie are not unique and are presented in a straight forward way. But rarely have I seen them done so well, with such an endearing character, and with the style of this film. Amelie is an endearing feel good film that I will enjoy coming back to again.