I’m not sure why I put off seeing [[imdb:0211915 Amlie]] for so long. I never really bothered to investigate it after erroneously writing it off as another “chick flick”, but boy, was I wrong!

Had known that Jean-Pierre Jeunet directed it, I probably would have seen it in a heart beat. I love his others works like City of Lost Children, Delicatessan, and even the fourth installment of the Alien franchise. His films always have a definite style, impressive photography, and a bizarre and colorful set of characters and plot.

Amlie is no exception. I was enchanted from the very beginning, as we are introduced to characters, through narration, learning about their likes and dislikes, their quirks and eccentricities. The key to this movie is in all of the details, just as the film shows you all of these small, yet amazing, events.

Technically, the film is quite an achievement. The photography is magnificent, although easy to overlook as it blends so seemlessly with the rest of the film. Post production colouring is used extensively, often to bring your attention to various parts of the frame. The music also fits very well.

The acting was fine. Audrey Tautou is such a perfect fit for the title role, even though there aren’t that many lines for her. Her spirit is infectious, I was smiling throughout most of this movie. It seems like Dominique Pinon is in every Jeunet film, at least he got a fairly normal character this time. This movie is filled with small roles, so it is hard to see anyone really shine, except for Amlie.

This is a DVD that I will be adding to my collection.