morrison-dylan-fan Talking to a friend about the Cinéma du look title Nikita,I found out that they had recently picked up a Fantasy film by Luc Besson.Caught by the style he had shown with Nikita,I decided to see Besson's angel come down to earth.The plot:Unable to cover his debts to the underworld after the delay in his olive oil business, André Moussah decides to go to a bridge and kill himself. Just before he jumps off, Moussah is joined by a mysterious women called Angela,who jumps off the bridge,and into the river first.Forgetting his suicide plan, Moussah jumps in and saves her.Getting out of the river, Angela tells Moussah that as a thank you she will help him to solve all of life's problems. Laughing it off as he tells Angela about the mountain of debt he is faced with, Moussah soon gets a divine intervention.View on the film:Continuing Besson's major theme of strong female characters,the screenplay by writer/director Luc Besson whips up earthy Film Noir- style crime with a delicate fairy tale mood. Dovetailing Moussah and Angela's relationship,Besson displays lean comedic chops by making the angelic Angela have more of a Punk attitude round the gangsters than the hiding in the shadows Moussah. Bringing their feelings out in the open,Besson casts his fairy tale with a spell of loving yourself,which is stopped from being heavy-handed by the self- discovery deepening the bond between Angela and Moussah.Landing on earth in crisp black and white, Besson and cinematographer Thierry Arbogast light their tale in shimming Film Noir shadows and quirky Art Deco designs which sets a off-beat other worldly backdrop for the mythical tale. Drinking up the Fantasy, Besson and Arbogast use elegant wide shots to give Angela a surrealist,larger than life appearance,which also wonderfully scores the exchange of power taking place between the couple. Jumping into the magic, Jamel Debbouze gives a great performance as Moussah,whose sense of wander is held by Debbouze with a fear about facing all the Noir misdeeds he is stuck in.Coming down from the sky, Rie Rasmussen gives an exquisite performance as Angela,thanks to Rasmussen laying Angela's body and facial language bare,as Moussah finds out how angelic Angela is.

artpf André, a small-time ex-convict, seems to owe money to everyone in Paris, including a crime boss who promises to kill him if he doesn't repay him by midnight. After failing to find protection from the American embassy and the French police, a despairing André scrambles onto a bridge over the Seine, intending to leap to his death. He is surprised to see a tall, beautiful girl clinging to a rail on the same bridge, apparently preparing to end her life as well. She jumps, and he jumps too, suddenly resolving to save her life. After scrambling ashore, she tells him her name is Angel-A. Together, they take a cruise on the Seine, repay André's creditors, visit a Parisian nightspot, and more, as Angel-A helps André. He learns that for this purpose she has fallen out of the sky and into his life. André finds himself falling in love with this mysterious beauty.She's hot, he's a dork. The film is black and white. Very atmospheric and very French. Paris is lovely. The sets are gorgeous. It's a funny romantic comedy that's worth a watch.

sensensensability I am a not a big fan of foreign films, but since this was by Luc Besson, I had a feeling it would be unique and worthwhile. And it was. At first, you might think it's going to be too artsy in black & white, but the beautiful cinematography with panoramic shots and amazing use of natural light and shadows captures the scenic beauty of Paris as well as the atmosphere which inspires Love in so many people. At other times, the black and while subtly conveys the contrast between the characters and where they're from. The acting is superb. Rie Rasmussen is stunning in this. There's a sharp contrast between the two central characters and everything about them reflects it. Yet the story speaks to that within us - feeling unworthy, lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem - and how one person can have an impact on another. There's a lesson in it for the underdog in all of us. With twists and turns, you're never quite sure what is coming next. It's an easy view with the subtitles kept to a minimum so the viewer can spend more time enjoying the full experience. I came away feeling pleasantly surprised.

souther02 Angel-A, the character, is an enigma. Is she actually an angel? Only in one instance does she exhibit any powers. A bit about Rie Rasmussen: Among other worldly powers, she is a 5'10" professional model who is also an actor. "Angel-A" a Eurocorp film is foreign by American standards and is all spoken French. The movie is in black-and-white and filmed completely in Paris. Angel-A is an enigma for many reasons. She shows an interest in Andre, a little guy who jumps off a bridge into one of Paris's rivers. Andre demonstrates that he can swim and fishes Angel-A out of the river. Now she plays the part of the person who owes this man her life. She quickly finds out that Andre is a Middle Eastern with a morbid/sarcastic humor who dabbles in olive oil. And other ventures that have landed him in...trouble. The angel tells him she will make all his financial troubles go away. Then the mobsters will go away and not kill him. So, early in the movie, as Angel-A is becoming Andre's friend and rescuer, she tells a lady in a bathroom that the guy Angel-A is with is a woman, actually. It's clear that Andre is not gay. Later in a restaurant is possibly the most romantic and sweet part of the film, where Angel-A tells Andre this revelation directly. Angela-A may be an angel, but she is not some sweet little angel with a halo and all of that. She is smart, thinking on her feet. She sizes up situations quickly. And with some experience in hand-to-hand combat, she could have easily kicked some butt throughout the film. Yet Angel-A, whose sidekick believes is a wild woman, is very much woman, and later Andre understands why.