Amelie

Amelie gets four beans.

Amelie is a super cute film. I think anyone that watches it will end the movie with a smile on their face. The main character Amelie, played by Audrey Tautou, is an endearing female who spends each of her days trying to make other people’s days better. There is a man that hangs out in the café where she works on a daily basis and he pays constant attention to one of the waitresses in almost a stalker-like manner. However, with the manipulation Amelie pulls she is able to change the man from being solely interested in that female, to completely onto the other lady who sells cigarettes and scratch tickets in the cafe. They end up spending time together and having the time of their lives, unfortunately, but realistically, she comes back to reality and becomes angry and annoyed with the man that constantly stares. He refuses to stop watching her while she is working, to the point he becomes a stalker-like man again. Even being happy with a new woman he still didn’t change as a person, only his target changed. He is such a jerk and truly doesn’t deserve her. It is actually great that things did not work out, but the fact Amelie tried is still super endearing and gives the viewer more interest, and honestly, stronger feelings for her and the other female characters.

Aubrey Tautou is a great actress. She makes this film pretty enjoyable. From her tone of voice to facial reactions she just remains such a cute character that you root for her the whole time. Another great film you might recognizer her from is The Da Vinci Code, with Tom Hanks. Most of the films she has been in are French, like Amelie, but Da Vinci Code is an American-made movie based on the books by Ron Howard.

WARNING SPOLIER ALERT!

To me, this film is a Romantic Comedy even with its subtitles. The story is endearing, sincere and proof that good things go to those that do nice things to others. Being a good person is good karma. She finds a photo album created by a man at the subway station but due to her self-esteem, she is not comfortable just giving the book to a man she is attracted to. Instead, she takes those mental notes she obviously learned from the stalker in the café and starts to follow the man she’d fallen for. She begins to send him notes and she slowly gains the confidence to meet the attractive owner. She had so many hurdles and hiccups come up in her way but due to the love she develops for a man that has never even met her, she remains determined and eventually achieves her dream of meeting the man of her dreams; and him truly loving her back. With an ending that is so joyful, it makes you fall in love with the film because it is just so cute and happy. Obviously, due to subtitles, you might have to pay closer attention to a romantic film than you are used to, but trust me this one you won’t regret it, or feel like you wasted your time.

This film is very close to five beans but it just doesn’t quite get that fifth one, but only because truly epic films earn that fifth bean, and this film, although amazing, is just not quite an epic one, in my opinion.