Amélie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain)

Released 2001
Stars Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Dominique Pinon, Isabelle Nanty, Serge Merlin
Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Amelie is about Amelie Poulain (Audrey Tatou), a young woman who has spent most of her life existing in the background. As a child, she was discouraged from having friends by her neurotic mother and emotionally distant father. As an adult, she works as a waitress in a café and spends her nights alone in her small apartment. She has no boyfriend, no confidantes, and no real sense of purpose in life. But all that is about to change. One small event - the discovery of a box of old snapshots and toys in a hidden compartment in her apartment - causes her to take action. She sets out to find the owner of the box, and her quest eventually leads him to reconcile with his son. Emboldened by her success, Amelie decides to become a force for good in her small corner of the world, helping others around her. In the process, she encounters Nino Quincampoix (Mathieu Kassovitz), who may be her soulmate - if she can ever find the courage to talk to him face-to-face and admit her feelings for him.

Summary by James Berardinelli

"Amélie" is a whimsical film with a good heart and an active camera. It's a light-hearted, fluffy story that's a lot of fun to watch. I love how director Jean-Pierre Jeunet's special effects add to the story and heighten the whimsy rather than obscure the story. There's a famous shot where Amélie literally melts into a pool of water, and there are times when miniature statues talk to the characters. Combine these fantasy elements with the shy performance by Audrey Tautou, and you have a warm story that's as fun to look at with its golden yellows and emerald greens as it is to watch. --Bill Alward, July 24, 2002