Amelie

The light-hearted, fantasy tale of Amerie Poulan’s journey to self discovery and love, titled Amelie, should do it for you if you have a sweet tooth.

 

The storyline traces the life of a young girl believed to have been diagnosed with a fatal malady. Isolated from the world, she finds solace in herself, develops an intricate imagination and amuses herself with some of the simplest and raw pleasures of life. After having returned a prized possession, back to its rightful owner, she dedicates her life to help others finding joy in their lives; in the course of which she finds her own happiness in the man she loves.

Jean Pierre Jeunet has specialised in films of astonishing visual intensity. With Amelie, he has shaken loose from his inclination toward rust and clutter, making the film light and full of air. However, the zappy cinematography seems to treat the audience as though they are blindfolded, grabbing their arm to make them look any zany detail the camera zooms into.

Audrey Tautor’s portrayal of Amelie Pourlan is commendable, although her charm may be quite a moot point. With Bambi eyes and rosebud mouth, she has quite an attractive address to the camera. However, the most luring aspect of the movie is definitely the use of colours. While it may appear that a singular filter has been used, the use of red, green and yellow symbolise different aspects of the movie.

Yellow has been used to represent the glow of Paris at its best, while the red symbolises the vibrance in Amelia’s character. The light shades of green translate to the peace and quiet in her personality.

It truly is difficult for a movie to walk the tightrope of whimsy, and find an actor that embodies charm and doesn’t impersonate it. Amelie takes those chances and gets away with it.

 

-Astala Yalnaz

AS Science