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.
Language:
French
Running Time:
123 min
Rating:
R
Release date:
25 April 2001
Directed by:
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Produced by:
Jean-Marc Deschamps
Claudie Ossard
Written by:
Guillaume Laurant
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Starring:
Audrey Tautou
Mathieu Kassovitz
Yolande Moreau
Serge Merlin
Claire Maurier
Music by:
Yann Tiersen
Shot by:
Bruno Delbonnel
Editing by:
Hervé Schneid
Distributed by:
Miramax Films

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.

Badges

Screened at

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.

Event Info

Date of Screening : 11-Oct-2014
Venue and Time : Hotel Savera, 9.45 AM
Guest: Siddharth Chandrasekar (Publicity Designer)

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Verdict

Verdict Stamp

Amélie’s core story is built up with a profound child-like innocence which is very difficult to translate on screen. It is very much evident that such perfection has been achieved as it has become one of those films that never fails to bowl you over even after repeated viewings.