My first impression of this movie was that is was going to be some old 1940-60’s movie as the first scene appeared in black and white. What was surprising was that I was watching a French movie, one thing I hate about foreign films is that your always concentrating on the subtitles at the bottom of the screen trying to make sense out of what is being said, which is distracting from the actual footage and action going on above. But this particular film, I didn’t seem to mind it, as it went on the black and white scene didn’t fade away, at first I thought the black and white of the first scene was just a flashback of some sort and would go into colour after it was over, but it stayed the same, which was interesting because I have never watched a film made in the twenty first century that way before. Surprisingly I enjoyed this film, the story was about a guy called Andre who has an Olive oil factory in Argentina? (I’m guessing) but he’s American just back in Paris to make some money but he ends up running into the wrong guys, and owing them €20k which he needs before midnight sometime later that week? The bad guys in all this ask the money to be in Euro’s not dollars, at which I thought the story would have turned out that he’s back to life in America trying to get the money as Andre explains that he needs to take care of some things. Anyway he goes crazy and asks the Police to lock him up for a few days but they more or less tell him to get lost, so then he resorts to killing himself by jumping off a bridge, as he does there’s a strange woman (Angela) about to do the exact same thing right beside him, she jumps off and Andre goes after her in an attempt to save her. Afterwards she tries to re-pay him by helping Andre for rescuing her life. She helps by getting some of the money Andre needs to pays his debt, he isn’t sure of her at first but when she gets some of the money and helps him out of his situation he gains her trust. I think this trust is gained even more when she tries selling herself to gain Andre’s money for €1000 a go... enough said...
One thing I noticed in this movie is that they are always using the word beautiful, like Andre calling the woman beautiful and when they are looking at the scenery of Paris they always call it beautiful, I think this could be a reflection of how she’s trying to help Andre pull out the good side that she knows is in him. Andre and Angela’s relationship is sort of portrayed to that of a married couple, always having little arguments along with here and there funny moments throughout the film. Eventually we learn that Angela is actually an ‘Angel’ and to prove it she makes the ash tray float and her cigarette grow longer... at this point I kind of thought they spoilt the whole movie making it unrealistic and more fantasy like.
I never really got what went on towards the end but like all films everything works out and Andre I think grows to realise that there is good in him, which Angela has shown him, they eventually end up kissing at which point Angela grows wings and is about to go back to heaven? (I’m assuming). She talks about how she died? (I think) and that how she has no past, but because Andre has fallen deeply in love with her he goes after he which results in them falling back into the same river like the start of the film (they also kissed at the beginning) once they both climb out her wings are gone. Angela is able to know anything and everything about Andre, even his future telling him he will marry someone else and have 3 children, but he tries desperately and succeeds in his attempt to be with Angela for good and giving her a future as she doesn’t have a past.
It’s kind of a sloppy love story but with a bit of drama, action, comedy and fantasy all mixed in, which I think makes it really good. One other thing is how Angela has the strength of a Man, which could explain her constant eating habits? And how she tells Andre he is more feminine then masculine, which I also think could reflect on how in France they have masculine and feminine words and Paris is the ‘city of love’ or whatever. They talk about how things are beautiful and I think they were sort of destined to meet on that bridge on that particular day (being a Sunday morning) when Andre is really not up for anything except lying in. Angela explains how she a fallen angel and her wings are burnt but she sort of has the ability to make anything happen still and helps Andre, When they kiss she is ready to go back as it were and that’s why I’m a little confused as to why that kiss made her ready to go back? I think she may have had something to prove while back on earth such as being loved? Forgiven? By helping someone?
Maybe I’m getting too much into this now.
No comments:
Post a Comment