In these violent and sad days, a great escape can be to enjoy watching the delightful movie "Amélie". Its story shows us that we can be happy with simple things, as they can make our lives less complicated.

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The film is about dreams and the very capacity to dream. Art springs from absurdly common events and communal absurdities. Amélie is the link between various everyday characters, all normal, yet crazy in their own way. Furthermore, it's a lesson for those who have difficulty finding joy in everything without falling into despair, and for those who don't believe in love at first sight.

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Another character in the film, as common as the others but perhaps the most important of all, is chance. We all know that chance is one of life's greatest actors, and yet few can capture its essence as well as Jeunet, the director, does in this film. The first hint the director gives about chance occurs right at the beginning when the narrator mentions the insemination of Amélie's mother's egg by her father's sperm, highlighting that it was one among millions. If it had been another, that Amélie would not have been born. And this applies to all of us.

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The beginning of the film narrates the childhood of the title character. We discover that the only time Amélie's father would touch her was to listen to her heart. With excitement, her heart would race, leading her father to conclude that she had heart problems. You can see the subtle message in the scene: because of a mistake, Amélie will have to live with situations with very deep consequences throughout her life generated by this single mistake. For example, Amélie studied at home with her mother and did not attend school because of this "supposed" heart problem, resulting in an introspective behavior. Throughout the film, she shows herself as a sweet and pure girl, but at the same time a bit closed and naive, mostly due to the lack of more contact with people during her childhood.

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"Amélie" is filled with boldness. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet uses vibrant colors to paint the Paris he wants to show, which is the wonderful city seen by the protagonist. Notice how yellow, green and red colors prevail in almost every scene! The last film Jeunet directed before "Amélie" was "Alien: Resurrection". This French production is set in a dreamlike Paris, part absinthe dream and part 1930s postcard, with many visual effects used poetically. It's a cheerful, well-acted, modern, and agile film. It features the sensation Audrey Tautou, director and actor Mathieu Kassovitz, and a group of experienced French actors.

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And last but not least, the film's soundtrack makes all the difference! Composed by Yann Tiersen, the music perfectly translates the emotions the film evokes. The soundtrack album is one of my all-time favorites. This film is just too perfect! Even the soundtrack is legendary... For me, it’s the best film ever produced in France. Incontournable!

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