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nAngel – A (2005)
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nDirector/Writer: Luc Besson
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nCast: Jamel Debouzze, Rie Rasmussen
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nLuc Bessson’s films have always had this strong visual sensento them, he likes to load them with amazing shots, an abundance of color andndetail. But one of the things that I’ve also noticed about his films is that hencares a lot about emotion, he likes to make us feel, to appreciate each other,nto enjoy life. He likes to make us remember that love overpowers anything.nRemember how in The Fifth Element (1997) the final element in the equation wasntrue love? Besson likes to show through his films that love is what makes lifenworthwhile, which is something I enjoy about his films. Angel-A is nonexception, it’s yet another film emphasizing love for others and for oneself. Thenthing about Angel-A is that the first few minutes lead you to believe that thisnis going to be just another by the numbers film about a guy who owes money tonsome gangsters, but if you keep watching, you’ll soon realize that that’s justnthe kick off point for something far more profound and touching.
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nAngel-A is all about a hustler named Andre. He owes aroundn50 thousand dollars to various unsavory dudes out on the streets and they havenall decided to come collecting at the same time. So Andre has a couple of henchmennafter him looking to punch his lights out. When he sees no exit to it all, hendecides to jump of a bridge. Before he does that, he looks up at the sky and asksnGod why he’s never answered any of his cries for help. Andre doesn’t know it,nbut God has listened this time. And he’s sent one of his angels to help, hernname is Angela.
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nThe premise for Angel-A (2005) is not a new one; that of annAngel being sent down from heaven to help a human who is in a particularlynnasty situation. One example that comes to mind is The Heavenly Kid (1985), anfilm about a guy who’s got to earn his place in heaven by helping somebody onnearth. The idea of an Angel falling in love for the person they are supposed tonbe helping has also been done before in films like Date with an Angel (1987), Alwaysn(1989), City of Angels (1998), and one of my all time favorite movies aboutnangels: Wings of Desire (1987). But Angel-A is a different kind of angel movie.nAngela is far from perfect, she’s no goodie little two shoes. She smokes cigarettes,nkicks whoever’s ass she has to kick and fucks like there’s no tomorrow. Some movies play with the idea of a god sent Angel with more respect then others, this one is a loosey goosey version of an Angel. Butnbesides that, she’s here to help Andre find his path and learn to love othersnand himself. Will she achieve her mission? Will Andre ever set his life on thenright track?
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nA couple of things made this one a keeper for me. Number onenis that it’s actually an unpredictable film; you think it’s going to play outnone way and it goes another. I also enjoyed the fact that the film was in blacknand white. As an illustrator of black and white comic books, I enjoy the blacknand white aesthetic very much, I think it offers its own visual flare, it’s ownnuniqueness. Luc Besson exploits this black and white look of the film verynmuch, the sets, the illumination, everything is done to exploit the black andnwhite nature of the film. I loved that Paris is one of the main characters innthe film. There are a few films in which the city becomes a character. Filmsnlike Taxi Driver (1976), Hirsohima Mon Amour (1959) and Lost in Translation (2003)nare examples of films in which the city becomes an integral part to the filmsnlook and feel and Angel-A is one of these films. Besson chose some beautiful,niconic locations to set his film in and it just makes the movie that much morensplendorous. I mean, Paris at night, there’s no way you’re not going to loventhat.
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nThen we have the final element that truly got me and it wasnthis films heart. Besson’s films tend to be all about people truly feeling forneach other, making connections in the middle of dire straits. Besson’s filmsnare all about humans helping each other, especially when they are hitting rocknbottom. Besson’s Leon: The Professionaln(1994) was all about Mathilda, an orphaned 12 year old girl finding an unlikelynsavior in the form of Leon, a hitman. Leon accepts her into his life, evennthough Mathilda obviously disrupts it. On Angel-A, it is Andre who begs God forna savior and gets it in the form of Angela, the sexy as hell, six foot, chain smokingnAngel. The dynamics between Andre and Angela are fantastic. The contrast betweenna little guy and a six foot, sexy Angel makes for an interesting visual. JamelnDebouzze (Andre) and Rie Rasmussen (Angela) have great chemistry together, Inbought their unlikely romance, they manage to stir some real emotions intontheir performances. There’s this amazing scene that really got to me in which Angelanis showing Andre all about learning to love oneself, it literally brought tearsnto my eyes. It’s not every day a movie can do that to me. And it’s a testamentnto Debouzze and Rasmussen as actors and a testament to Besson’s talents as anfilmmaker who knows how to nail emotions and a beautiful looking movie home.
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nRating: 4 out of 5
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