Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001)

Director:

Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Writers:

Guillaume Laurant (scenario) and
Jean-Pierre Jeunet (scenario) ...

Release Date:

25 April 2001 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

One person can change your life forever.

Plot:

Amelie, an innocent and naive girl in Paris, with her own sense of justice, decides to help those around her and along the way, discovers love.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Waitress | Garden Gnome | Happiness | Hypochondriac

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 51 wins & 46 nominations

Cast

Audrey Tautou	...	Amélie Poulain
Mathieu Kassovitz	...	Nino Quincampoix
Rufus	...	Raphaël Poulain
Lorella Cravotta	...	Amandine Poulain
Serge Merlin	...	Raymond Dufayel
Jamel Debbouze	...	Lucien
Clotilde Mollet	...	Gina
Claire Maurier	...	Madame Suzanne - la patronne du café
Isabelle Nanty	...	Georgette
Dominique Pinon	...	Joseph
Artus de Penguern	...	Hipolito
Yolande Moreau	...	Madeleine Wallace
Urbain Cancelier	...	Collignon
Maurice Bénichou	...	Dominique Bretodeau
Michel Robin	...	Mr. Collignon

Also Known As:

Amélie (France) (working title) (International: English title) (USA)
Amelie (Australia) (UK)
Amélie des Abbesses (France) (working title)
Amelie from Montmartre (International: English title)
Amelie of Montmartre (International: English title) (festival title)
Die fabelhafte Welt der Amelie (Germany)
The Fabulous Destiny of Amelie Poulain (USA) (literal English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content.

Runtime:

122 min | France:129 min

Country:

France | Germany

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White | Color (Duboicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Taiwan:R-12 | Malaysia:18PL | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Hungary:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Denmark:7 | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 (video rating) (cut) | South Korea:18 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Singapore:R(A)

Filming Locations:

Abbesses, Paris 18, Paris, France

Company:

Claudie Ossard Productions

Trivia:

During the film a Volkswagen "New Beetle" appears, although the car was not in production at the time Amelie should live (that would be August 1997 according to newspapers reporting the death of Princess Diana). Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet said he kept it as it fit perfectly with the mood of the film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Some passers-by in the park stare at the camera and crew. One little girl even waves at the camera.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: On September 3rd 1973, at 6:28pm and 32 seconds, a bluebottle fly capable of 14,670 wing beats a minute landed on Rue St Vincent, Montmartre. At the same moment, on a restaurant terrace nearby, the wind magically made two glasses dance unseen on a tablecloth...

Movie Connections:

References L'amour en fuite (1979)

Soundtrack:

La Valse d'Amélie

What is left to say about this glorious joy ride?

I had heard superlative comments on this film and it does not disappoint.

Paris is the backdrop and what a Paris, A Paris of La Boheme and the Merry Widow. Audrey is brilliant in the role of Amelie, projecting a true joie de vivre.

The film is full of surprises in both plot and characters. I left the theatre feeling lighter. It is truly one of a kind, eccentric, unusual and uplifting. I will not say more on it as it would spoil the fun.

I gave it a 10 out of 10 for something so completely out of the ordinary and so very unhollywood.