I love French cinema. It's so bold, expressive, different and avant garde. Though I don't speak that much French, I always find the dialogue beautiful because it's one of the romantic languages.
I first saw this movie when I was I think maybe, 10 or 11 years old. I couldn't remember much from that first time. I re-watched this again in my post-adolescent years and I absolutely love it in all its simplicity and vague eccentricity.
Audrey Tatou, who plays the titular character, Amelie, is so cute! She looks and sounds like a twenty-something little girl. (Hmmm sounds familiar.) Her character is so likeable in many ways:
- She's an oddball duckling with a quirky sense of style.
- She's genuinely altruistic, helping people in any way she can and does so in a very secretive manner.
- She's one un-apparently tough cookie who plays mean tricks on you should you choose to mess with her
- She's an introverted person but is very friendly and amicable despite her shying away from societal niceties and casual conversation.
- She is one good tactical planner.
I think I may have said too much by describing her in great detail so I'll just leave you to watch the movie to make you fall in like with her.
The movie is a comedy but it's not the rolling-on-the-floor kind. It gives you a few light laughs and little funny moments that aren't hard to appreciate and smile about. It's also a romance. I'm not a die-hard for romance and love stories; I prefer hard comedy to all-out romantic movies which is why I love how the love story in this movie is shown. It isn't your typical love story. It's so innocent and simplistic and so very odd. Just my kind of love story.
Don't let subtitles discourage you from seeing this movie (if you don't like watching movies with subs). Even without totally understanding the language, it's hard not love the gorgeous French scenery, enjoyable and varied characters and the stories and plots of the movie.
