*NOTE- This film is set in Paris and scripted entirely in French. I am not fluent in French, and I watched this film with English subtitles. Works in translation often lose bits and pieces of their original meaning. Because of this, my review may not be as accurate or as detailed as it could be, but it is a representation of my experience watching the film.*
As a child, Amélie Poulain was lonely. Her parents were not cruel, but they were cold. She was taught by her mother, and her best friend was a suicidal goldfish. She was not an unhappy child; her overactive imagination kept her company. She filled her time with simple pleasures- eating red raspberries off her fingers, making paper chains. She dreamed of having a brother or sister, someone with whom she could connect. That dream would not be realized until she reached adulthood.
She left home at 20, got a job as a waitress, and rented a little apartment. Amélie’s world is washed in bright reds, greens, and yellows. The film uses a distinct visual style, making the colors saturated but still somehow dark. She loves skipping stones, and we see her pick up small, flat rocks throughout the movie. Even small, ordinary moments, like noticing a blind man on the metro with a record player, can feel significant to her. Her apartment is filled with beautiful things: a beaded curtain in the entrance to her kitchen, ingredients for her favorite meals, and a cat whom she dotes on. She is exceptionally good at being alone. It’s an art to her, a skill to be honed, solace compared to the unexplored frontiers of human connection. This all changes when an unexpected discovery sets Amélie on a quest to help the people around her.
This is a story about loneliness – how it shapes a person, makes them interesting, and disconnects them from the world. This is a story about how a single event can turn a person’s life on its head. More than anything, this is a story about how improving the lives of other people can improve your own life. A different, fuller life, the one Amélie desires, does not simply fall into her lap. She works for it in ways that are sometimes silly or roundabout, but are always earnest. The thing I love most about this movie is that Amélie doesn’t have to abandon her eccentric qualities in order to be loved, the way too many female leads in search of love seem to. Instead, it’s her unique personality that allows her to form the connections she seeks.
I would recommend this film to anyone who loves beautiful cinematography, amazing soundtracks, and vibrant casts of memorable characters (not to mention weird girls with bad haircuts). Audrey Tautou’s captivating performance makes Amélie someone real, and ensures the movie’s status as a classic.
