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Year One
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Amélie

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 31 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 134 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Romance
Written by:
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Guillaume Laurant
Directed by: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Release Date:
Theatrical: November 2, 2001
DVD: July 16, 2002
Running Time: 120 minutes, Color / BW
Origin: France / Germany
Summary
RATING: R for sexual content
Starring Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Yolande Moreau, and Artus de Penguern
Amélie, a young waitress in a tiny Parisian café, discovers an old box of childhood treasures hidden beneath her apartment floorboards which leads her on an odyssey to transform the lives of her neighbors, and perhaps even her own.
Also On Metacritic
FILM: A Very Long Engagement Alien: Resurrection Delicatessen The City of Lost Children
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database View The Trailer Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Film Threat Ross Williams
Joyous. This is a film that will put a goofy grin on your face from the opening frame, through to the credits, out into the lobby, the whole way home, and possibly even till you fall asleep.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Desson Thomson
A movie for aesthetically hungry moviegoers: wildly amusing, sometimes sardonic and always touching. There's so much here, and all of it delightful.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington
This is the Paris -- and the mad, beautiful young Parisienne -- we look for in dreams.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold
The movie is never mechanical or emotionally contrived, and at its heart is a guileless, enchanting performance by Tautou.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
The charming movie, already an international success, seduces.
Read Full Review >The New York Times A.O. Scott
There is no denying that Amélie is, to paraphrase its title, fabulous.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Jay Carr
Delightful and original, the film conjures up a corner of Paris distinct and specific, yet fairy-tale fanciful.
Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez
At two hours, the movie is probably 15 minutes too long -- the final half-hour in particular could have used some trimming -- but complaining about having too much of a good thing makes one sound like a grouch.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
A delicious pastry of a movie -- You see it, and later when you think about it, you smile.
Read Full Review >Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy
A big-hearted French movie that shines with wit, beauty, humor, sunshine and the love of love.
Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern
An endearing film, and a fascinating one.
San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle
A charmer, a movie whose embrace of cinema is so passionate it could be mistaken for an embrace of life.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
The barometer for whether you'll enjoy Amélie is whether you liked "Moulin Rouge" last summer. If snappy visuals, tangy colors, mood-drenched scenery, and a good-hearted heroine make you as happy as a box of Parisian chocolates, it's definitely for you.
Read Full Review >New York Post Lou Lumenick
A slick, sweet, fast-paced, feel-good romantic fantasy that's fairly irresistible if you can keep your cynicism in check for a couple of hours.
Read Full Review >Village Voice J. Hoberman
The screen is saturated with Gallic whimsy and the romance of Montmartre in the person of Amélie.
Read Full Review >New York Magazine Peter Rainer
Jeunet wants us to know that times are hard for dreamers and that one shouldn't pass up a chance for true love. He means it, no doubt, but he doesn't have the simplicity of soul to quite bring off the sentiment. Still, we're charmed by the attempt.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Jack Mathews
Whether you're charmed or bored by the movie depends entirely on your feelings for Amelie, a young woman whose hyper-quirky personality both takes some getting used to and grows old fast.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach
Akin to being force-fed sugary confections from a bottomless bowl. At first the idea seems just grand, but after a while, all you want to do is scream, "Enough!"
New Times (L.A.) Bill Gallo
Not a film for everyone, but if you're in the mood for a little sensory overload, some spirited intellectual gymnastics and an introduction to the most intriguing new actress Europe has produced in years, get in line with the rest of the thrill-seekers.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Maitland McDonagh
The lanky, wide-eyed Tautou is so phenomenally charming -- her smile could sweeten vinegar -- as to make Amelie irresistible.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Ronnie Scheib
The ease with which the perky, big-eyed heroine ingeniously succeeds in improving the lot of everyone around her and the painterly manner in which reality in every inch of the frame is "improved" constitute both the "quirky" charm and the pure fishiness of the film.
Read Full Review >Time Richard Corliss
You could get drunk, or ill, on the high dose of whimsy in Amelie.
The New Yorker Anthony Lane
As a director, he seems incapable of trusting his actors to carry the mood, preferring always to lend them a backup -- jokes, fripperies, kooky camera angles -- that they don't require. [5 Nov 2001, p. 105]
Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan
Features an aggressive, in-your-face romanticism that's noticeably lacking in genuine warmth. While its story of lonely misfits searching for love has appealing moments, more often it turns into an overbearing fable overburdened with fake joie de vivre.
Read Full Review >Salon.com Charles Taylor
The problem is that the charm and good spirits of Amélie feel calculated rather than natural.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly Manohla Dargis
Sucks -- because it's a frenetic bore that insists on its audience's adoration while making no demands upon their intelligence.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 8.6 (out of 10) based on 134 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Neill M gave it a9:
Really enjoyable movie that has unique moments, lines, and actions that are hilarious, brilliant, and fun. Definitely an art movie, but easily reachable and understandable.
Sean P gave it a9:
Just to let metacritic know: Empire magazine gave this film a 5/5.
Jenna T. gave it a10:
loved it, the colors the art, the jokes. Its just exquisit, with sweet and spicy scenes, funny and inspiring. A tribute to happiness and life. If you dont get it, you just dont know what life is. Touching and perfect to the very last minute. With a balance beteen complements. Just perfect.
Sophie gave it a10:
An artistic movie, art in sounds colors, everything its just magic. A fairy tale that moves the world for searching happines, best movie i have seen, exciting until the very last minutes. worth watching and understanding. Perfect art movie.
Esteban F gave it a3:
Horribly boring and dumb, this is a movie that tries to be what it isn't: an artistic production. After 30 minutes of it, you just want to stop. The story is just too "pink", simply too "happy" to stand it. 0 realism, dumb, it doesn't challenge the audience and it doesn't make you feel anything but boredom. Soul-less, failed artistic wannabe movie.
Kat C. gave it a10:
Life is so full of the ups and downs... It's refreshing for the soul the see the whimsical and magical side of life and love. To see the difference one person can make to so many. Don't look so deep into it that you lose the purpose of Amelie... just enjoy the moment.
Rachel C. gave it a9:
I love this movie. Why I like it? Because, mostly of it's uniqueness, and it's such an original idea. The camera style is lovely, and even with the subtitles it made me feel thoroughly engaged. I think it depends on your personality on how you value this film, as I have noticed people either give it 9's or 10's, to 0's. I think you have to patient, and give it a fair chance, and if you prefer the big blockbusters then maybe you wouldn't be interested in this film. But, nevertheless, I do think some of the comments are pretty tight and harsh, and didn't give it a chance! Overall, beautiful movie. Lovely cinematography.
