Tools of Characterization

Characterization in Amélie

Direct Characterization

At the beginning of Amélie, our narrator introduces us to all the characters and then proceeds to tell us exactly what they like and don't like. Amélie likes "dipping her hand into sacks of grain" and "skipping stones at St. Martin's Canal." Philomène, a character we barely see, "likes the sound of the cat's bowl on the tiles." And, as a joke, we find out that "the cat likes overhearing children's stories." These little details are things you might not know about a person, and even if they seem insignificant, they tell us a lot about a person. When the only thing we're told about Joseph is that he likes popping bubble wrap, we can infer that he's a very unusual, and probably not very happy, person.

Actions

Most of the characters in the movie have very small parts, much as these people would if you knew them in real life. There's the lady at the café, or the grocer, or the blind man on the subway, and all of these people are defined by their jobs. We rarely see them out of their roles.

It's Amélie who has to intervene and bring certain people together, snapping them out of their ruts and routines. She performs good deeds, like fixing up Georgette and Joseph or returning Bretodeau's toy tin. But she also does things that seem a little shady on the surface, like taking her dad's gnome or forging a long-lost letter to her lonely landlady from her dead husband. These actions, though, are also intended to bring about good results.

However, sometimes Amélie can be downright cruel. She likes to take her revenge on people, like ruining a soccer game for a neighbor who lies to her as a child, or playing mean pranks on Collignon. But aren't these things we all want to do to someone who has wronged us or someone else? Amélie is an agent of karma, and everything she does is intended to set things right. At least what she perceives "right" to be.

Physical Appearances

The two main characters, Amélie and Nino, played by Audrey Tautou and Mathieu Kassovitz, might be the two most attractive people in France. Naturally, they are our protagonists.

Almost everyone else has some sort of quirky appearance that is evocative of his or her personality. Georgette has big bug eyes that make her seem like the type of person who would cook up a new illness for herself every day. Joseph has a craggy face, which mimics his crusty personality. And Collignon the grocer just looks like a fat, greasy, unappealing man—and "unappealing" is the nicest way to describe him, especially considering the way he treats Lucien, who is way cute. So foreign films aren't that much different than Hollywood films in this way. It's the beautiful and cute ones we really root for.