AllMovie

Just how much damage can a homely, socially-taunted pariah wield against her neighbors when revenge is the order of the day? Such is the question at the heart of Vilaine (AKA Ugly Melanie), widely regarded as the (unofficial) "nasty opposite" of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's audience-pleaser Amelie. Though she is initially a sweetheart who delights in acts of kindness to others, obese and klutzy Melanie (Marilou Berry) seldom, if ever, elicits any gratitude from the recipients of her generosity. This sets the stage for a nasty and startling reversal when Melanie's sexy, svelte cousin, Aurore (Frederique Bel) pushes her to the edge with a cruel prank -- the lie that Melanie has a Valentine's Day suitor. Melanie grows so distraught that a torrent of pent-up rage emerges and prompts her to undertake hideous, cathartic revenge on the innocents around her, including a number of small pets. Directors Jean-Patrick Benes and Allan Mauduit approach the material as a transgressive, jet-black comedy that challenges accepted standards and frequently lapses into deliberate bad taste.