Angel-A

Beautifully shot and superbly acted, Angel-A overcomes its ruefully uneven first half to eventually become one of the most unusual and flat-out affecting romances to hit theaters in quite some time. The spare storyline – which revolves around the relationship that forms between shifty schlub Andre (Jamel Debbouze) and a leggy blonde (Rie Rasmussen’s Angela) – is initially just a little too light-hearted for its own good, as writer/director Luc Besson plays up the comedic exploits of the central characters (ie their efforts to pay off several loan sharks). But there comes a point at which Besson essentially drops the breezy tone – following a fairly substantial mid-movie plot twist – and instead places the emphasis on a surprisingly contemplative and melancholic vibe, with Debbouze’s character forced to re-evaluate his shady lifestyle as he starts to fall for Angela. It’s during this portion of the film that things really get interesting, and Andre finally becomes the compelling figure that Besson has undoubtedly meant him to be since the outset. Besson’s increasingly inventive directorial choices, coupled with Thierry Arbogast’s beautiful black-and-white cinematography, infuses Angel-A with a dreamy quality that ultimately proves impossible to resist, while the uplifting conclusion leaves the proceedings on an almost overwhelmingly positive note.

***1/2 out of ****