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TheFrenchfilm, "Amelie",directedby Jean-Pierre
Jeunetandreleased
in 2001,
is a beautifullyrted
tale burstingwith vivid colors andcharacters.You are drawnin
and allowedto loseyourselfin everyperfectdetailfor v.-fewhours,attemptingto absorb
all you can. You are savoringa wonderfultreat asyou enjoythe talentedperformances
of Audrey Tautou as Amelie,MathieuKassovitzasNino Quincampoix,SergeMerlin as
the "GlassMan", DominiquePinonasJoseph,andRufusasAmelie'sfatherand drink in
the wonderful cinematographydoneby Bruno Delbonnel. At the onsetof the film it is
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unclearwherescriptwriters,Jean-PierreJeunetandGuillaumeLaurant,areheadedwith
the randomfactswe are given, suchasthat Amelie'sfather doesnot like to urinatenext
to anotherman. It is soonevident;however,that everyarticle of clothing,phraseand
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'enoir masterpiece.This is an outstandingmoviethat doesnot loseanyof its magic
camera
angle
has
been
given
as
much
thought
and
care
as
even
the
smallest
detail
in
a
~~~when viewedagainand again."Amelie" morethan deservesthe rating offour starsasit
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hada goal to more than entertain,but alsoto inspir~
Ameliegrew up the only child of an ex-armydoctor anda schoolteacher.
Becauseof her father's convictionthat shehad a heartmurmur,Ameliewas taughtby her
motherat homeandkept companyonly by her own activeimagination.Whensheleft
homeasan adult, shebecamea waitressin a cafe,continuingto live her solitarylife;
taking pleasurein skippingstoneson the waterlandmakingup questionsaboutthe world
aroundher. Whenshediscoversa smallbox full of a child's treasures,shebecomesset
on a courseof finding the owner of this box. The discoveryof this box servesasa
catalystfor changein Amelie'slife as shebecomesdeterminedto help peoplefind a little
bit of happinessby doing se~ actsof kindnessfor them. With eachgood deedshe
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Amelie 3
world andpursueher own happiness,which lies ultimatelywith Nino. Nino and Amelie
perfomls
for
another,
she
comes
closer
to
getting
the
strength
to
leave
her
safe,
lonely
..."
are kindred spirits, both possessing ashy, but adventurous nature. At first afraid to
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approach Nino directly, Amelie entices him with phone calls, pictures, and notes.
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Finally, with the encouragement of her painter neighbor, "The Glass Man", she pushes
aside the last of her fears, opens her apartment door to go in search of Nino, only to find
herself face to face with him. Only when Amelie became the strong person she was
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meant to be was she able to be with her prince and bring to a close this chapter of her
fairy tale.
Often films about love can have too much beauty and this can potentially
overpower the viewer, while one with not enough beauty may lose one's interest.
"Amelie" has a wonderful balance of light and shadow, and bright and dull colors which
slips the video under her neighbor's doormat, add an element of beauty to the film, that
results
in
very
appealing
visual
images.
The
shadows,
such
as
Amelie's
profile
as
she
the viewer would probably not even miss were it not there, but gains so much by it being
painting in motion where even a normally dull shade of brown is full of richness. Red is
there.
The
brigh~lors
in
every
scene
make
you
feel
as
if
you
are
watching
a
vibrant
the color with the most dominant presence, usually accompanied by varying shades of
green. It may not be possible for someone to fall in love with a film simply because of its
visual appeal, but I must admit that I have come close.
Perhaps the director, Jeunet, meant for the visual aspects of the film to be
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demonstrative of Amelie's own imaginative nature and view of the world.
Amelie's
creative and colorful aspect of her personality is evident in the way she goes about
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Amelie4
helpingthosearoundher. Being a personof an unimposingcharacter,she4rawsno
attentionto herselfwith her somewhatsaintlyacts,but remainsanonymous.Sherealizes
that surpris~andmy~ries arewhatbringjoy to whatcansometimes
begray,dull lives.
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The complexway in which shegoesabouthelpingothersis revealingof what a complex
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adventurouswoman. It is her unselfishness
that endearsher to the audience,but which
person
she
is
inside.
She
is
not
merely
a
shy,
young
lady,
but
she
is
also
a
sensual
and
alsobringsherto fearthat shewill allowlife to completely
passherby if shespends
it in
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an attemptto only makeothershappy. If sheusesall her energytoward promotingthe
happinessaswell, you areleft wonderingwhat delightful surpriseshewould have
happiness
of
others,
then
she
will
have
none
left
to
see
to
her
own.
While
you
want
her
plannedfor you if only you residedin the sameworld as she.
Every maincharacterin this film learnsa lessonof one kind or another. They are
ailiessons~love in someform or another,whetherit is the grocerneedingto learnto
showcommoncourtesyto othersor Joseph,the obsessedcafepatron,learningto fall in
love with someonenew. It could further be saidthat everycharacterin this film hastheir
own personalobsession~
Ameliewith helpingothers,Nino with collectingphoto-booth
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pictures,Amelie's fatherwith his deadwife's shrine,the "GlassMan" with his Renoir
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reproductions,andMadeleine,the concierge,with the love lettersfrom her deadhusband.
Ultimatelythesepeoplemust learnto not let their obsessions
becomethe only thing that
defineswho they are. While someof them are on their way towardsescapingsucha fate,
we mayneverknow if Josephwill be ableto allow anywomanhe is involvedwith be
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free for onemomentof his scrutinizingglareor if Madeleinewill ever stoppolishingthe
glasscoveringthepictureof herdeadhusband.
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Amelie 5
Bringing to life sucheclecticand complicatedcharactersasAmelie andNino
truly must havebeenchallengingfor the actors.They succeededso greatly;however,that
I neversawan actor pretendingto be someoneelseon the screen,but sawonly Amelie,
bringsus further into the film, allowingus to be privilegeto informationthat otherwise
Nino,
Georgette,
or
the
simple-minded
grocer's
assistant.
The
voice
of
the
narrator
also
we would be without. The actors' dialogueis deliveredwithout anyawkwardnessand
flows as smoothlyaslinesof poetry. WhenAmelieis quickly guidingthe blind man
throughthe streetsof Paris,the rhythm of her speechmatchesher stepsandalmosthasa
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musicalquality to it. At other timesshespeakswith a subduedvoice, but in her quietness
the clicheholdstrue, asher eyestruly do the speakingfor her andno words are
necessary
.
This film is at its very roots, the well-worn fairy tale wherethe princessgetsher
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princein the end. The archetypeof the fairy tale is somethingthat peoplemaynever
grow tired of, but if Jeunethad approachedthis from that perspectivealone,we would
neverhavehadthe pleasureof experiencingsucha colorful and enjoyablefilm. He
succeeded
in deliveringthe viewer that happily-ever-afterfantasy,but packagedit in such
a way that left me feelinglike I was experiencinga deliciousbite of a chocolatefor the
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very first time. What more could a director desirethan to hav.,\N
pleasu:e and~~nsPiration
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