Little Amélie or The Character of Rain: A Charming Tale of Wonder and Growth

Contrary to popular belief, there is more animation in the world than that of the so-called big guys of animation, Pixar, Dreamworks, Illumination, etc. Some the best animated features, as of late, have come from smaller indie studios, films like Robot Dreams and Flow, and the upcoming Arco, have proven that they can compete. Directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, Little Amélie or The Character of Rain is an animated co-production between France and Belgium that will appeal to one’s childlike sense of wonder above anything else. Though it fails to bring anything remotely new to the table, its musings on identity and the meaning of life are amusing, accentuated by beautiful hand-drawn animation. Running at only 78 minutes, the film won’t set audiences back as it succeeds at what it set out to do, without wearing out its welcome. Something that likely won’t jump out in the eyes of audiences, its heart is certainly in the right place and is well worth a watch wherever or whenever it becomes available. Clearly geared towards younger audiences, fans of animation will find a lot to enjoy here but older audiences may be numb to its messaging following countless other films with similar themes.

Adapted from the autobiographical novel by Amélie Nothomb, Little Amélie is centered around the titular little Amélie (Charpentier), a very special 3-year-old Belgian girl with an interesting perspective when it came to the world around her. Told from her perspective and acting as the narrator, her third birthday acted as an awakening of sorts for her. Living an idyllic life with her family in post-war Japan, an encounter with a magical piece of white Belgian chocolate opened up her eyes. The consummate curious girl, Amélie, along with the help of her family’s housekeeper, Nishio-san (Grosbois), discovered the wonders of nature and learned more about her adoptive homeland, as well as the truth behind the dynamic that laid the foundation of her family’s life in Japan, living there for her father’s job. The undisputed heart and soul of the film, the relationship between Amélie and Nishio-san was so pure as each was exactly what the other needed at that time.

Despite being more than an ordinary 3-year-old, Amélie was still a 3-year-old which came with its own set of hurdles. Perhaps that made her exploits more endearing, but it also makes the film’s premise grow a bit tedious in the middle, straddling the line between treating her like a baby and something more than. However, age aside, there is more than enough in her arc, discovering the beauty of the world around her and growing as a person. Where the film truly thrives is in those little life-changing moments, where Amélie interacts with the land and its creatures. Her childlike sense of wonder and enthusiasm, though one that would require restraint at times, was still infectious. Meanwhile, Nishio-san saw a similar arc as Amélie helped bring her back to life. Grieving the loss of her family, she was hired by resentful her mother-in-law Kashima-San  (Fujimori), also the landlord of where Amélie and her family lived in Japan, to watch over her property. That relationship became something more as she grew fond of Amélie, with her becoming a surrogate child.

While Japan was the only place she ever knew, Amélie and her family’s stay was only meant to be temporary. Finally getting comfortable with herself and her surroundings, she wrestled with her true identity. Learning about where she was and where she came can be difficult for anyone to reconcile with, let alone a 3-year-old. Running the gamut of what life has to offer very quickly, both good and bad, she was not quite the invincible God she thought she was. That being said, these kinds of stories always seem to find their way to a happy ending as family is more than blood.

On a technical level, the animation across Little Amélie is beautifully hand-drawn, vibrant and colorful. The attention to detail and the level of artistry behind the characters, settings, and how they interact with one another, can be seen through every frame. Similarly, the voice acting also delivers, if only by fitting in with the story which is what it is supposed to do.

Little Amélie or The Character of Rain is solid animated feature that may not reinvent the wheel in terms of themes, but its hand-drawn animation is a delight to watch.

still courtesy of GKIDS

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.