Amazon.co.uk Review
It’s been some time some French director Luc Besson stepped behind the camera. And truthfully,
Angel-A, good as it is, is a little underwhelming, particularly when you see that Besson’s curriculum vitae includes
Leon,
The Big Blue and
The Fifth Element.
Still, that’s not to say that Angel-A is a film without merit. Quite the contrary, in fact, as this simple, diverting tale has plenty in its corner. Andre, played by Jamel Debbouze, is just about to end his life. When we meet him, he’s heavily in debt and he chooses to drown himself in the River Seine. Yet he’s saved by the mysterious Angel-A of the film’s title (played by Rie Rasmussen), and she offers to help Andre pull through his current problems. Thus, the stage is set for a pleasant, engaging mix of comedy, drama and a dose of romance, made all the stronger by its likeable lead actors.
While Angel-A is undoubtedly lacking the ambition of some of Besson’s earlier work, it’s a film that’s hard not like. It’s beautifully shot, tightly put together and thrives on its ultimate simplicity. It won’t be a dish to everyone’s taste, but it’s nonetheless likely to reward the majority who are tempted to give it a spin. --Jon Foster
DVD Description
From the visionary director of the modern cinema classics Nikita, The Big Blue, Subway and Leon comes a compelling romantic fable set in Paris, the world¹s most beautiful city.
Angel-A begins when two strangers meet on a bridge one morning. Looking to escape his past Andre (Jamel Debbouze) accepts the help of the mysterious Angela (Rie Rasmussen) and sets in motion a chain of events that will change his life forever. Beautiful in its simplicity, Angel-A is a striking, supernatural love-story and the first film Besson has directed for over seven years.
Special Features
Making of Featurette
Angel-A Music Video
Making of the Music Video
Theatrical Trailer
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Featurette, Interactive Menu, Making Of, Music Video, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: 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. ...Angel-A
