Luc Besson (“The Fifth Element” and “The Professional”) brings us an unusual twist on the angel stories of “Wings of Desire” and, especially, “It’s a Wonderful Life” with this French language black and white comedy with a heart.
Drowning in debt, without a Euro to his name and refused the benefits of the US green card he won in a lottery, André (Jamel Debbouze) decides the best thing for all concerned is to chuck himself into the Seine. Just as he is about to end it all on the Pont Alexandre III, however, he is interrupted by a beautiful blonde (Rie Rasmussen) who leaps in first. When he pulls her to safety, she offers to help him out of his current malaise.
Angela, of course, is no ordinary stunner, though it takes time for the skeptical André to realize she has latched onto him for a reason. The twist is that she needs him just as much as he needs her, if only to feel the emotional connections that divinity has denied her.
What we get is a movie that at first seems stylistic and emotionally distant (as most French films do) but draws us in with the heart of the film. It defies expectations and, if you don’t mind foreign language films, is just one of the most recommended films I have seen in years.
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