Amelié (2001) - movie

Title: Amelié
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Format: French romance movie
Length: 122 minutes

Ah, Amelié. The first time I watched this was a few years after it came out. I was over at a friend's house, having a little girl get-together. I was too young to really understand what love was about, and the idea of true love seemed like something marketed by Disney only. My ideas of what made love so fantastic and pure were seen from an immature point of view.

The world around us tends to stomp on the idea of there being any such thing as true love, or a pure love at that. This movie, however, brings back that old romantic spark. Amelié hearkens to the dreamer in all of us, the innocent boy or girl who secretly wishes to meet The One and live Happily Ever After. To live out those picturesque days as portrayed in 1950's shows about the perfect husband, and perfect wife, and perfect children and neighborhood.

The character Amelié is a peculiar girl who has grown up with a mother and father who mean well but somehow fail to give her the amount or type of attention she needed. This has made Amelié grow into an even more peculiar woman in her adulthood. She's introverted and finds herself falsely believing her ordinary and routine life is enough. It isn't until she has her first true encounter with love that makes her think differently. But being the strange girl she is, Amelié doesn't have an easy time dealing with the confrontation.

She goes about it in such unconventional methods, you can't help but feel sympathetic -- and maybe empathetic. The movie finds humor in the things she does, and gives small doses of comedy as she trips over small obstacles along the way.

What's special are the times she and her love interest cross ways. You can't help but smile while Amelié jumps hoops to get his attention while at the same time avoiding contact. She puts such effort into her task, it's like seeing any other love-stricken girl on the street. Men and women alike should know what it's like to do more than necessary, to go above and beyond just to catch the eye of that one person.

In society today, we do things by flirting, bar hopping, dates, study groups with hidden intentions, and more. We use modern methods to get into someone's pants -- and into their hearts. Though Amelié's methods aren't quite so conventional these days, her thought process is the same. For anyone who has been in love, I think it would be easy to relate to her, or find some goodhearted humor in the things she does.

This movie can be played any time, anywhere, with virtually anyone. Though there are a few parts that are questionable for younger audiences, even teenagers will enjoy it. I did, when I first saw it. I still enjoy it, even  ten years after production. It's a timeless film that's sure to please anyone.

Overall: 5 out of 5