“Amelie” is an independent film starring French actress Audrey Tautou in the title role, and directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (“The City of Lost Children” and “Alien Resurrection”). Jeunet has a penchant for gorgeous settings and cinematography, as well as being too surreal and too attentive to detail in the storytelling. But “Amelie” is an exception, as it gracefully brings together both the style and the substance. The film has also won awards from the Edinburgh, Toronto, and Chicago film festivals and received heaps of praise from top critics.

Set in Paris, France, the film follows the title character, an over-imaginative girl who is raised by straight-laced, non-affectionate parents. To further complicate her childhood, her mother is killed in a freak accident and is raised by her father alone. As a young woman, Amelie works at a small diner in Paris.

Amelie’s life is changed when she finds a small toy box hidden behind a bathroom tile and decides to return it to the original owner. She finds herself inspired by the hobby of doing good deeds and continues to bring joy to those around her. Her active imagination creates great surprises throughout the film, like when she vividly describes the beautiful scenery of France to a blind man and gives a pretend love letter to a depressed widow. By helping others find happiness, Amelie bashfully finds love when she meets an unusual photograph collector who works at the local porn shop.

The film maintains a light-hearted feeling and a colorfully, romantic tone. In one scene, as Amelie’s heart is broken, she literally turns to water in the middle of the cafe. Such scenes are as surprising as they are creative. Another example has Amelie sitting on the rooftops of Paris wondering how many orgasms are happening at that very moment. As the film quickly shoots through several hilarious orgasm scenes, Amelie finds that there are fifteen.

These scenes are a perfect mix for the unique characters of “Amelie”. Each character is romanticized and surreal, such as the tape recording, jealous, boyfriend, and the lovesick clerk. The habits and quirks of each character are promptly brought to the attention of the viewer when each character is introduced. This film also pulls off a great deal of humor that is unique to “Amelie” as well. This is a film that should not be missed.