This week I wanted to talk about one of my favourite films, Amélie, and the way it utilises the 8-point story arc.
- Stasis: Amélie’s isolated and introverted childhood establishes her as an observer, yearning for connection. She works as a waitress but observes details of everyone she encounters on a daily basis.
- Trigger: The discovery of a hidden box left behind by a boy from several years ago in her apartment sparks a transformative moment for Amélie. After seeing the reaction of the boy (now a man) receiving the box, she is inspired to change the lives of the people around her.
- Quest: Amélie’s quest involves a series of small, yet impactful, acts of kindness, from encouraging her father to travel to orchestrating a romantic encounter for a coworker, to helping her sickly neighbor experience the wonders of the outside world. She aims to encourage the stagnant lives around her to progress.
- Surprise: Her budding romance with Nino involves Amelie’s life in her schemes. Most of her choices change her friends’ lives without them knowing of her involvement, but Nino and Amelie become connected.
- Critical Choice: Amélie faces a critical choice when she must decide whether to confront her own insecurities and fears to pursue a meaningful connection with Nino or remain as she is.
- Climax: The film reaches its climax as Amélie takes a courageous leap of faith, revealing herself to Nino and confronting her own emotional barriers.
- Reversal: Amélie’s actions lead to positive transformations in the lives of those around her, creating a ripple effect of happiness. Her father chooses to travel, the concierge recovers from her broken heart, Lucien takes charge of the grocery stand without being mocked by Collignon, etc.
- Resolution: The story concludes with a sense of fulfilment and contentment as Amélie finds love, and those she encounters throughout the film are changed by her actions.
Breaking down (some of) the characters into Archetypes:
Amelie- Protagonist/Heroine
Amelie is the protagonist, and her journey of self-discovery and overcoming personal challenges aligns with the Heroine’s journey.
Raymond Dufayel- Mentor
– Raymond serves as a mentor to Amélie, providing guidance and encouragement, especially when it comes to pursuing Nino. His wisdom and artistic perspective contribute to Amélie’s growth and he frequently questions her motives.
Nino- Love-Interest
Nino is a quiet and reserved character who, like Amélie, feels a sense of detachment. They become connected through change meetings. When Amelie picks up his dropped photo album, helping him solve the mystery of the photographed man within, the end up becoming romantically involved.
Lucien- The child
Lucien works at the grocery stand, and is verbally abused by Collignon for his slow (but loving) work. Despite this, Lucien is always friendly and kind, and brings groceries to Dufayel, who is unable to leave his home. Lucien never responds to cruelty, and is shown to be a truly innocent person.
Collignon- The shadow
While there are no major antagonists in Amelie, Collignon is the closest to an antagonist. Amelie observes his cruelty to Lucien, inspiring her to play pranks on him as punishment, mirroring the cruel neighbour from her childhood.
Gina- The Ally
Gina is the coworker at the Two Mills who is able to intercept what is going on between Nino and Amelie, testing his character and advising him about her at the climax of the film. While Dufayel acts as Amelie’s mentor, Gina is the only person who can actively advocate for Amelie to Nino when she is emotionally held back from meeting him.
Dominic Bretodeau- The Catalyst
Bretodeau never meets Amelie in person, but his hidden box is the item that she finds that inspires her journey, and his overjoyed reaction encourages her to continue, catalysing the events of the rest of the film. Not only this, but her search for him is what involves her with her mentor, Raymond Dufayel.
Timeline:
The information revealed about Amelie’s childhood informs her choices throughout the film. She is lonely, which distances her from others. She does seek and enjoys emotional connections but is not used to having them. She has a strong sense of justice and is willing to play pranks on those who she feels have behaved improperly, and solves problems practically.