 | Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain Starring: Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Yolande Moreau, Artus de Penguern, Urbain Cancelier, Dominique Pinon, Maurice Benichou, Isabelle Nanty, Lorella Cravotta, Claire Maurier, Serge Merlin, Jamel Dabbouze, Flora Guiet |
Shunned by Cannes, Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "Amélie" opened in Paris with great success. After conquering France, this little gem moved to America and stunned its distributor, the giant Miramax, with not only box office success but also enough critical raves to move it into position as a strong contender in the upcoming Oscars. "Amélie" is a modern day fable set in Paris. At first the storyline appears simple. After discovering a small child's toy box hidden in the wall of her apartment since the 1950's, an attractive young waitress (Tautou) searches for it's owner, returns it and, observing the aging man's joy, devotes her life to helping others. Jeunet takes this story and intertwines plots and subplots, combining them with characters connected only by the well meaning Amélie to create a magical film that is breathtaking not only for it's charm but it's ability to connect us all to our own humanity. "Amélie" is a, funny, playful, fast paced film that immediately sweeps the audience into a strong connection with the heroine. We are told the entire story of Amélie's life from conception to present day. While this introduction takes only minutes, the fast paced biography deals with her mother's death from being struck by a suicide who has jumped from Notre Dame, her cold and distant father who has withdrawn from the world, and briefly introduces us to several sad and lonely characters who will soon be major players in her life. From the brittle boned recluse artist/neighbour to the lonely desolation of her concierge, these people seem almost too realistic for an upbeat fantasy. Jeunet's breezy pace and whimsical style combined with Tautou's charming performance will eventually lead us into a wonderful world of bright possibilities and a reaffirmation of being human. Jeunet accomplishes this remarkable achievement by packing his 122-minute film with an odd mixture of moments that come at the audience at break neck speed. Our mischievous heroine connects the dots and somehow it all magically comes together. I will never forget one of these "moments" as Amelie suddenly notices a blind man walking with great difficulty through the busy streets of Paris. She grabs him by the arm and briskly navigates him through the crowd describing everything and everyone they pass. It's a rare and lovely cinematic experience. This film is never in want of these special scenes. Warning: Jeunet keeps things coming at you so quickly that it is difficult to read the well written subtitled narration and keep an eye on the exciting visuals at the same time. I had to see it twice to truly appreciate the movie. It was well worth the effort for filmmaking doesn't get any better than this! In a year like 2001, "Amélie" is a welcome, refreshing breath of fresh air from the troubled world we inhabit. To call it anything less than a minor masterpiece would be unfair. |