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      Andre is a down on his luck gambler and is in over his head in debt and he can’t possibly find a way to bay the mobsters he owes by his midnight deadline. He tries to get himself locked up in fails, he tries to flee to the United States but isn’t allowed due to his criminal record and finally he plans on giving up. After realizing he can’t possibly pay the dangerous crew of Paris goons he plans on hopping off of a bridge. Too bad at the same time a beautiful blonde has the same suicidal plans. From here there is an extensive dialog scene that introduces Angela (Rie Rasmussen) while letting the viewer more into the sometimes honorable but mostly dishonorable Andre. 

      From here the movie is an excellent spectacle for these actors to bounce back and forth with each other in plenty of great scenes. Early in their relationship Angela gets him out of debt by using her god given goods. Speaking of God she might just be one of his Angels. Andre finds that hard to believe because she has been turning tricks to get her new friend out of debt. 

      The criminal element isn’t that threatening in this film besides the fact that the audience gets to view the entire dilemma of Andre from start to finish. There are moments when he scores money big time, gets another gambling tip and then flushes it all away. Looks like Angel-A has to bait in more johns. Andre has a guilty conscience about the things she does for him but he is in desperate need for cash. 

      The film has a nice twists and it’s actually a great love story that sort of went the fairytale route instead of being downbeat. Andre was a sad sap to watch but Jamel Debbouze gave him a likeable humanity and I empathized with his impulsive ways. Luc Besson sure knows how to throw some strange relationships in this kind of crime oriented films. While “The Professional” is unquestionably a classic , I feel that “Angel-A” is his most artistic film and much more visually stunning than anything he has ever made. I would say that Luc Besson makes action films that are just great for couples to watch. He also has a track record for making interesting characters for women and Angela is easily the most interesting character. She claims to be an angel, has no clue who she was in her previous life on earth and she turns tricks to help out her Armenian buddy. 

      The film is visually stunning with shots of Paris in what seems to be black and white tinted with subtle blues. Rie Rasmussen is thin and tall while rocking high heels next to the 5’5 Jamel Devvouze. There’s an odd couple in a strange looking movie that uses a accessible criminal story that is filled with hooker seeking scumbags and killers. So there you have it. This film caters to the art house, crime film buffs and those looking for a love story that I believe to deliver the goods with a sweet ending.  

      The moment of CGI might be considered silly to some practical die hard but I think its adds a surreal flavor to this film and it is brief. The black and white cinematography made the film a fantastic feast for the eyes. What would most likely look like a gimmicky and tacky bar bathroom looked wonderful because its fruitful colors were replaced with the much colder but well lit B&W I actually really enjoy the noir feel of black and white films especially when their modern and shot with better cameras with better movement. The film will put you in an abundance of moods but I don’t think anyone will be bored.  The story is one of a kind, the actors had touching moments and the street life element was there. Some visual effects in the film were simple and sold Angela as what she claimed her self to be.

      The only DVD feature is The Making of Angel-A , a documentary that actually shows how much passion, enthusiasm and creativity went into this project. Luc Besson has had the same crew for years and this feature makes that easy to comprehend. The actors respect him, the entire set look like they had a blast and I now consider Luc Besson one of the greatest directors of his time.

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