Angel-A

It's a Wonderful Life meets Wings of Desire in French director Luc Besson's Angel-A, a surprisingly charming fable of lowlife redemption. The lowlife in question is André (Jamel Debbouze, Amelie), a mousy, disheveled Parisian scam artist deeply in debt to various underworld thugs. Suicide seems like the best available option, but just as he's about to leap into the Seine, André encounters Angela (Danish model/actress/filmmaker Rie Rasmussen), a leggy blonde beauty who will change his life. Filmed in gorgeous black-and-white in a shimmering Paris that seems almost completely depopulated (most of the filming took place in early morning sunlight), Angel-A is a rough-edged yet ultimately sweet-natured tale of two chatty characters who find new hope through mutual devotion (although the story is likely to disappoint Besson fans expecting another high-octane crime thriller like Leon: The Professional). Debbouze is perfectly cast as a likable loser who deserves a break, and Rasmussen (who appeared in Brian De Palma's Femme Fatale, wearing nothing but lavish diamonds and a killer smile) is angelically seductive. Viewers who enjoyed Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise and Before Sunset—two other appealing films about love in the City of Light—are likely to appreciate Angel-A. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a 27-minute “making-of” featurette, and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for an engaging film.] (J. Shannon)