Customer Reviews

Angel-A

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Angel-A is a black and white movie based on a classic tale. The movie seems surprisingly "Hollywood" in its idealized theme, especially when you consider it's a French movie. Lovers of French film know how popular the themes of darkness and realism are. Still, Besson's skills as a master film maker shine through. The cinematography is fantastic. When you add in great acting, it's easier to swallow the pill of a very allegorical story.

Acting and Direction

The acting really is the hallmark of this movie. Jamel Debbouze was amazing as Andre, the small time hustler with big dreams. He delivers some very difficult scenes with realism and power.

Rie Rasmussen is also great as Angela. In the one DVD special feature, she talks about French not being her native tongue, which makes her dialogue all the more impressive. The director plays her against Andre using the contrasts of her height against his shortness, her beauty against his average looks and shabby clothes.

The supporting cast is also good, no doubt due to Besson's fine direction.

The Story and the Script

This story is hard to swallow. Even though Andre isn't really American, they manage to throw in some anti-American insults too. The script is clean, yet at times forced. Perhaps I am being too cynical. Still, the filmmaker, cast and crew make it work. Even a basic outline almost gives away the very predictable story line, so I won't go there. See it for yourself and be the judge.

Cinematography

For those who love fine art photography or just great film in general, this DVD is a gem. There are so many beautiful shots of Paris. It's done very expertly in black and white. One of the things that comes across in the "making of" feature is how tightly Besson works with his crew of many years.

It also made me wonder, how big was the budget for this film? How much is high-end camera equipment these days? It's just amazing they could produce such a visually amazing movie on an "independent film" budget. If it's true it bodes well for the future.

DVD Extras

While there is only the one main "making of" feature, it is loaded with actual production info. Some of it amounts to a worship feature about Besson. No doubt, he's earned it. Still the actors talk about some elements of their preparation and process that are definitely educational and worth seeing. It's a nice extra, but how I greedily wish there was more!

Conclusion

Overall, this is an uplifting and entertaining movie, especially if you can suspend disbelief for 2 hours. The acting, cinematography, and film-making abilities of Besson make this a DVD worth owning for art-film lovers.

Enjoy!!!

Directed by Luc Besson, Angel-A was first released in 2005. It's a French romcom (not quite what most would expect from Besson) and stars Jamel Debbouze and Rie Rasmussen in the two lead roles.

André is 28 years old and badly down on his luck. Although his working practices have been a little shady in the past, he's trying to make an honest fist of things and - following a recent trip abroad - is sure that his big break is just around the corner. However, given that he owes an absolute fortune to nearly every crook, villain and gangster in Paris, he mightn't live to see the good times. Having sought help and protection from both the police - who wouldn't lock him up for a few days - and the US Embassy - although of North African descent, he holds a green card - he's left alone and desperate. Eventually, he gives up and decides to throw himself off a bridge and into the Seine...and, just as he's about to jump, he notices Angela to his left. In fairness, Angela is very distracting : she's a tall, very leggy and exceptionally beautiful blonde...and the dress she's wearing only just keeps everything covered. Although he pleads with her not to jump, she won't listen...and so, rather than ending his own life, André finds himself jumping in and saving Angela's. The pair get talking on the banks of the river and, by way of thanks, Angela dedicates herself to helping André. Miraculously, with Angela on his side, things start looking up very, very quickly...

It is subtitled (which may put some people off) and it mightn't appeal to the very innocent, but I loved it. There is a real `feel-good' element to the movie and there is a pretty obvious comparison to "It's a Wonderful Life". Some of the better known locations of Paris are used as the story's backdrop - the Seine and its bridges, the bateaux mouche and the Eiffel Tower - and it's very stylishly shot in black and white. A film I'd have no hesitation in recommending.

This a profound film - simple and at times painfully sad. Addresses the humanity's predicament: everyone surreptitiously thinks themselves as great while human minds are in fact petty, opportunistic, dis-empowered gambling machines. Andre is the Everyman.

Besson makes a case for truth, love - and breathing - as instruments of divine providence. Truth and love can evoke passion for the divine, for life itself.

A cool movie.

Beautiful movie, one of my top favorites to see! This had me on an emotional rollercoaster, one minute I'm laughing, the next I'm crying. The main characters played such beautiful strong roles, and played them very excellent! I would highly recommend this movie because it's something that would touch upon you in all kinds of ways. :)

Luc Besson breaks the mold and proves that he can craft pop-culture idiosyncrasies with artistic French film making that evokes the New Wave cinéaste of François Truffaut or Jean-Luc Godard. Hailed as a contemporary "It's A Wonderful Life," Angel-A is a film that examines the human condition and isn't afraid to tell us that in this really screwed up world that everything is still A-OK. In an age where we still can't seem to accept our cultural differences and struggle for individual acceptance, Besson delivers us an angel in the form of the seductive blonde vixen Angela who is about to take her life by jumping over a bridge into the Seine when she meets André, a compulsive liar, thief, gambler, and loser, who despises himself so much that he wants to end his life too. Together they save each other and discover who they both really are. It's a complete 180 from the visceral violence of La Femme Nikita or Leon - The Professional but it will make you feel alive and appreciate the important things in life we take for granted. With a penchant for casting unforgettably strong lead female talent ala Milla Jovavich, Anne Parillaud and Natalie Portman, Besson again does not disappoint with the spot-on casting of Danish actress Rie Rasmussen who both charms and seduces us with her amazing performance as Angela and whose career is destined to take flight.

I used the word sparingly, but in short this film is flawless. The casting, the script, the lighting, the editing, the special effects, the music, the combination of drama and comedy, etc. are seamless and pure within this flawless film, like a perfectly cut diamond. Luc Besson is undoubtedly one of the greatest filmakers, having created such amazing films such as The Fifth Element, The Messenger, and lately having made forays into production of impressive but hollow martial arts action films. To say he has redeemed himself with this film would be an understatement. In the tradition of Wim Wenders Wings of Desire and Michael with Travolta, he has created a film which contains amazing visual beauty, hilarious humor and intense drama. A couple of scenes in this film actually passed that brain barrier or that filter in my mind that has become so jaded and unimpressed in a way I cannot remember any film in memory to do, and had me entranced. This film is magic, with a wonderous chemistry, a sparkling ambiance, a simultaneously heavy and light heart, intensely romantic and poignant with an unlikely heroic leading man and a stunningly beautiful leading woman. Let this film become a permanent part of your pysche, for it is a life affirming spark of genius and art at its best.

It's b&w with English subtitle, but it's worth everything to get and watch it! It has a simple, but beautiful and profound message based on an excellent plot; the film is extremely stylish, which reminded me of Matrix. It simply blew me away after I finished watching it.

Absolutely worth watching, buy or rent it today!!!

People who are fans of Luc Besson know he has a style and theme he likes to use often. Be it the socially inexperienced hitman who takes a young girl under his wing and saves from evil DEA agents (The Professional), or be it a tough taxi driver who protects an alien (Fifth Element) or be it Angel-A where a woman who seems to be an Angel decides to help out and protect a broken man who's brought his own problems on himself but can't seem to stop it, Luc is an expert of the "I'm in trouble, help me" "Now I have help when and where I least expected it" kind of movie.

But Angel-A has moved him into a new level. While I've been a very long time fan of The Professional with Jean Reno and Gary Oldman, and while his other movies are good but not quite as good as that one, Angel-A finally hit the emotion he's been trying to reach again for so long.

My girlfriend and I watched Angel-A together, and we liked it so much I bought two copies from Amazon (one for her to carry around and one for me to keep in library). We watched it twice and talked about it for quite a while.

It's a beautiful movie.

I'm a big Luc Besson fan and have most of his movies. This one is so very different from his other movies that I was really hesitant in buying it. But I was totally blown away how good this movie is. The music is perfect and haunting.

You may consider this Luc Besson's version of "It's a Wonderful Life" set in 21st century Paris. Jamel is not
George Bailey and Rie's not Clarence(or Amelie)-they're thrown together into a hard deep noir world of lies and vice. Perhaps "La Femme Nikita" afoot in a tiny black dress, swimming with loan sharks?

While Jimmie Stewart wrestled with fate in Shakespearean terms we see Jamel opened petal by hardened petal by Rie's Angela to a gnostic awareness of his soul and love, as the viewer is too. I came to care for both of them and thoroughly enjoyed the journey and the City of Light. May you enjoy it too.

Besson is a master storyteller and his use of black and white is both a blessing and a tribute.