Angel-A Details

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Don't read this unless you are happy to know the ending

What a beautiful movie! The acting is fine, the location is fantastic, the director is has a superb reputation ... so why do I give this only 3 stars?

Well. It's about an angel who comes to earth to help the low-life guy to discover the love and goodness inside of himself - right? She does this in a 'the end justifies the means' kind of way. And then what happens? She sprouts wings and goes back up to heaven - job done.

Actually not. The guy falls in love with and holds onto the angelic perfection - pulling her back to earth where they can live happily ever after. With a fallen angel. That's what the bible says the devil was, isn't it? Not so happy.

Either the ending is just plain muddled or it is deeper than I give Luc Besson credit for. I am plumping for the former. My deeper spiritual reading that makes sense of this ending (if you are interested) is as follows: it is our attachment to external 'sources' of beauty and love that creates 'evil' (the devil). That rather than relying on angels or gods we should have the courage to be with ourselves and find our own love - even though this can be hard and painful. Holding onto ideas of an external, all powerful 'god' (or his angelic representatives) may bring a seemingly happy ending in the short term ... but in the long run it saps us of our ability to be genuinely free and self-realised. Probably.

All of that said - the chick is horny and she wears a very short dress. Works for me!

Curious

This modern day black and white movie draws you in. It never reaches it's potential. You anticipate but ultimately watch on because you've paid the money, leaving you feeling you've just wasted a few hours of your life.