Amélie

AMÉLIE is soaked in whimsical cuteness, caked in stylish gestures, and yet, it's the reason I almost disliked the film. Telling the story of young Amélie, a waitress who was kept indoors as a child because she was erroneously thought to have a heart condition, and has thus become a socially awkward cultural-oddity, in between every interesting character or creative setting is some unrealistic jolt into Amélie's specific take on the world. She wonders how many orgasms people in Paris are having at the moment. In this film, it seems cute or weirdly funny because Amélie gives a grand smile at the end of the statement, but really, it's only weird, and even desperate. For a long time, and the film is long, moments of actually intensity or interest are drowned by an excess of style. Furthermore, the whole film relies on the performance of Audrey Tautou as Amélie. If you buy into her cuteness then you'll love the film, but if she's occasionally irritatingly weird, then you'll feel as I do: divided. For despite the film's problems, it assembles a group of interesting characters who grow on you within the 2 and a half hour duration. The romance at the center, is also well handled, and I found myself wanting Amélie to get with her man despite my divided feelings towards the character. Ultimately, AMÉLIE is problematic, but a fun time.
Amélie: ★★1/2