The rise of Netflix’s popularity over the years has opened up the public’s eyes to a wide variety of brilliant films and series; ranging from new hit shows like “Stranger Things” and “Bridgerton” which have quickly become staples to watch nowadays to well-known and loved movies. It had also added to the renaissance of the classics like “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, “Amélie”, “The King’s Speech”, “School of Rock” and “Meet the Parents”, all celebrated movies which deserve to be on the podium for classics, but are unfortunately leaving Netflix in February. However, in my opinion “Amelie” is by far, my favourite movie out of these, and here are some reasons why you should watch it.
“Amélie” to put it simply, is a bizarre and fascinating movie, which definitely deserves its praise. It’s a whimsy fairytale of a movie, which centres around the tale of the protagonist Amélie – an introverted, quirky waitress from Montmartre, who spends her time observing others and devising kind hearted schemes to help them out in their personal lives; for instance, she works as a matchmaker to set up her co-worker at the cafe Georgette, with a regular Joseph.
If I were asked to give you a brief synopsis of the film, I’d find it difficult to, as in my opinion, there is no prevalent plot. The movie is narrated throughout, and we get unexpected but fun information about the many characters in the movie. We learn about the small quirks that they have, that make them more human and lovable. “Amélie” is a character driven film and that it is what makes it so charming and pleasurable to watch.
The quirky characters and vibrant cinematography are what make the movie so iconic. The film is shot around 80 different locations in Paris, and you get a romantic and heartwarming view of the city. Such a grand and populated city seems more homely and tight-knit thanks to Amélie’s magic.
The title character Amélie, played by Audrey Tatou, is an endearing and captivating character who gains our affection from the very beginning, when we find out she lives in her imagination, and finds contentment in the simple pleasures of life like dipping her hand into grain sacks, cracking crème brûlée with a spoon, and skipping stones along the Canal Saint-Martin.
The movie makes you feel sonder; the multitude of characters and their very different storylines make you appreciate that everybody has their own life, and the fact that Amélie finds fulfilment and satisfaction in discreetly helping random people, makes you love the character and the movie even more. All in all, “Amélie” is a lighthearted and touching movie, deserving of its title as a modern, international classic, and is without a doubt, a film you must watch before it leaves Netflix.
Laura Pietrzak