amelie
france | 2001
available on netflix
"Amélie is a fanciful comedy about a young woman who discretely orchestrates the lives of the people around her, creating a world exclusively of her own making. Shot in over 80 Parisian locations, acclaimed director Jean-Pierre Jeunet ("Delicatessen"; "The City of Lost Children") invokes his incomparable visionary style to capture the exquisite charm and mystery of modern-day Paris through the eyes of a beautiful ingenue."
a warning, gentle reader, that this movie is r-rated for good reasons and most of them boiling down to: THE FRENCH.
oh, the french.
So, I watched a movie.
"Oh, and it's not a horror," you sigh in relief. "Oh, thank God."
No, indeed, it is not. It is, however, one of my other and probably most favorite things to view, read, delineate, expound upon, ingest, digest...wait, where was I going with this?
Oh, yes: fairy tales.
Don't get me wrong. Amelie - and forgive me in advance because I am far too lazy and sleep-deprived to remember the accent shortcut keys - is not one of the classic tales of old on the outside. There are no fairies, magic carpets, beanstalks, cursed spindles, pearls tumbling from lips, fingers cut off to complete ladders and rescue one's true love with one's baby bound to one's back, stepsisters with their eyes pecked out...
As you can tell, I'm not a fan of unexpurgated traditions. Go hardcore Grimm brothers or go home.
(I kid, I kid. I can sing every Disney princess song by heart. Try me.
I'm just a girl who likes to pay respect to the old roots.)
Anyway, no blatantly fantastical elements here, but Amelie goes along a different route and still hits the same spot: magical realism. Amelie's vibrant imagination and her whimsical world is enchanting, engrossing and downright spellbinding.
And all without an elf or a godmother in sight.
Well, almost.
I mean, the fairy godmother is cool and all, but a grouchy French painter giving you a fierce read on yourself and your overly romantic ideals...now that should be allowed into the canon.
(And, if you're like me and both appreciate a good read but bristle at being called out for your hopelessly romantic soul:
Yep. I hear you, sister.)
I've been gushing for a little bit and haven't really given you an idea of what to expect in general from this movie beyond the description, so in a nutshell: Amelie has been sheltered for most of her life, and is finally striking out on her own with a new job. She wants to find love, she wants to improve the lives of those around her, and when she makes a mysterious discovery in her apartment, she embarks on an adventure that may grant both.
In typical rom-com fashion, there is a great deal of runaround, but shot, written and executed in an often bizarre, charming way in a way that probably makes Wes Anderson writhe at night with envy. Every time I paused, for the most part, it felt as though that shot was possibly the most thought out and painstakingly planned in the entire movie. And then I paused again, and changed my mind.
Amelie, as a heroine, is endearingly naive and committed to her convictions. I honestly didn't feel as much of a connection with the eventual leading man, but all the characters that surround her and are unwittingly part of her many escapades are painted in lovingly in all their color and eccentricity, and with the aid of an indulgent narrator.
(As you can see, I paused and rewound a lot.)
And the scenery...I'm not sure if there is enough to say about the way this is all shot. Again, Wes Anderson - eat your heart out.
I'm not sure what else to say without spoiling the entirety of it. I can say that I do understand now why this is so well loved and oft quoted, particularly on my Tumblr feed.
Indulge a few more of my screencaps, why don't you:
Also, the constant breaking of the fourth wall is quite endearing and not at all cheesy. I promise.
I may be going on about this a bit, but how can you not love a movie that gives you one of the best and truest quotes to plaster all over your social media:
Au revoir! Keep dreaming.
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