This Christmas, I finally got around to watching Amélie. I know, only two decades late. From what I have heard about Amélie over the years, I was prepared for a very hit or miss film. “Artsy,” “quirky,” “main character is a bit of a creep,” were the prevailing comments. The latter I can definitely understand – Amélie discovers her passion of helping others by intervening in their lives, often secretively, which, admittedly, involves a lot of following them around in a stalker-like way.
That is undoubtedly, however, a severe misinterpretation of her character. Amélie’s childhood was one that was marked by considerable loneliness. As a result, she developed a very shy, yet curious, personality, with a somewhat childlike vulnerability to her disposition. In spite of being painfully timid, it is clear that her mission to meddle with the lives of others from afar was a reflection of her desire for greater connection. Amélie’s character quirks are a subtle force acting beneath the surface of the film’s narrative.
As a sheltered child, Amélie develops a magical imagination to amuse herself which the dreamlike animation and cinematography illustrate. Although critics have complained about the unrealistic image of Paris, that is not the point – we are seeing the world through Amélie’s eyes. After she befriends the local painter, they contemplate together over the mysterious personality of a girl in his work. When Amélie suggests that the girl is deeply in love, but is too afraid to do anything about it, the painter simply responds that he thinks that the girl is “cowardly.” This scene embodies the simultaneous sympathy and frustration we feel towards Amélie, and also perhaps about the personal issues that we struggle with ourselves. This is what I believe Amélie does so well: it reminds us that each person has an inner battle, however trivial or unrelatable it may seem to others, which they are dealing with.
The film ends with the discovery that her idiosyncrasies are no longer a barrier, but a doorway, to finding her true purpose and connection. Amélie is much more than just a charming film – it is a beautiful meditation on vulnerability and human struggle, a joyful and moving piece of art which is matched by few others.
Featured image via UFC Fox Distribution