Let’s face it: These days, romantic comedies are full of bland acting, predictable dialogues and banal plots. However, there is one particular rom-com I hold close to my heart: Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain, or Amélie for short. A little French ditty, Amélie is a film bursting at the seams with joie de vivre, as the French would say. In fact, I would go as far as to say Amélie has single-handedly resuscitated the romantic comedy genre, saving it from near-death with its charming whimsicality.
The film follows its title character Amélie, a Parisian waitress turned sudden do-gooder vigilante as she travels around Paris impacting the lives of strangers, family, friends and most importantly Nico, the man she eventually falls in love with. Of course, all these good deeds are executed as unconventional mini plots that only the quirky Amélie would devise; even the business of her falling in love with Nico is approached as a quest, enthralling viewers with the thrill of the chase. On top of the film’s unorthodox approach to love, Amélie possesses an excellent instrumental soundtrack that captures the effervescent feel of whisking down the streets of Paris on a moped while grasping your lover around their waist.
In addition, Amélie contains some of the best cinematography of all time; the wide-range views of Paris are complemented by the intimate details and bright green and red hues of Amélie’s life that director Jean-Pierre Jeunet meticulously notes. So instead of waiting for the next Annie Hall imitation to hit theaters, I highly recommend spending your next movie night in with this must-see, life-changing film. Who knows? Maybe Amélie will inspire you to pursue your own fabuleux destin.
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