Amelie: 6/10: Sweet, light and sometimes a little irritating this strangely adult fable starts out very strong and sinks under the weight of it's too cute for words protagonist and her self made predicament. Amelie is a strange bird indeed. She seems initially one of those wonderfully original creations but as time in the movie marches on it becomes obvious. She is a twelve-year-old girl in a woman's body.
Yup she has silly crushes plays silly pranks and a vivid imagination. In fact one could very much see her being played by a twelve year old. This would work perfectly if the movie wasn't so jarringly adult in other ways. (Amelie's quest works in a porn shop, people having hook-up sex in a daytime café)
It is more of a tone issue than any objection to adult content. (As a glance at most of my other reviews will testify.) Also like most twelve-year olds Amelie pulls pranks and games a little to long. (After the 2-hour mark or so I was practically screaming at the screen to get on with it)
Now don't get me wrong the first hour or so is one of the most delightful screen experiences. I loved the traveling gnome (which started a fad that lives on today) and liked the obsessive tape recording man in café.
It also shows a true fantasy version of Paris like You've You Mail's New York. In fact when Amelie is helping others rather than on her own quest the movie seems to move briskly and with purpose.
It is only in her pursuit of love that Amelie fails as both a person and a movie. Just like most twelve-year-old girls.
Yup she has silly crushes plays silly pranks and a vivid imagination. In fact one could very much see her being played by a twelve year old. This would work perfectly if the movie wasn't so jarringly adult in other ways. (Amelie's quest works in a porn shop, people having hook-up sex in a daytime café)
It is more of a tone issue than any objection to adult content. (As a glance at most of my other reviews will testify.) Also like most twelve-year olds Amelie pulls pranks and games a little to long. (After the 2-hour mark or so I was practically screaming at the screen to get on with it)
Now don't get me wrong the first hour or so is one of the most delightful screen experiences. I loved the traveling gnome (which started a fad that lives on today) and liked the obsessive tape recording man in café.
It also shows a true fantasy version of Paris like You've You Mail's New York. In fact when Amelie is helping others rather than on her own quest the movie seems to move briskly and with purpose.
It is only in her pursuit of love that Amelie fails as both a person and a movie. Just like most twelve-year-old girls.