Amélie/YMMV

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Adaptation Displacement: This film arguably pushed the whole 'roaming gnome' tradition into mainstream conscience. Some people mistake the film for starting the prank, even though it was started in Australia in the 1980's.
  • Angst? What Angst?: Amélie's life and upbringing has been largely dysfunctional and lonely, but she remains resolutely cheerful, kind-hearted and optimistic. She is, however, painfully shy and introverted as a result of her upbringing. Much of her Character Development centers around her loneliness and working up the nerve to live.
  • Crowning Music of Awesome
  • Crowning Moment of Heartwarming: Several, especially the ending.
    • The scene where Amélie helps the blind old man to "see" by vivaciously narrating everything on the street.
  • Gratuitous Special Effects: There are many special effects in this movie despite it being a comedy/drama.
  • Nightmare Fuel: The train-riding sequences as Amelie looks around the city for Bredoteau can be pretty unnerving.
  • Directing Against Type: This is an unusually bright film for Jean-Pierre Jeunet; just compare it to Alien Resurrection or The City of Lost Children.
    • Not really, the visual style and humor in Amélie are quite similar to Delicatessen, one of Jeunet's previous movies.
  • Tear Jerker: Although the film generally isn't sad, tears of joy are common, and there are a few heartbreaking scenes.
  • The Woobie: Amélie. Everything about her makes you want hold her to show her everything will be all right.

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