This is a romantic comedy set in Paris about a family that goes there because of business, and two young people who are engaged to be married in the fall have experiences there that change their lives. It's about a young man's great love for a city, Paris, and the illusion people have that a life different from theirs would be much better. It stars Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni,... Read more
This is a romantic comedy set in Paris about a family that goes there because of business, and two young people who are engaged to be married in the fall have experiences there that change their lives. It's about a young man's great love for a city, Paris, and the illusion people have that a life different from theirs would be much better. It stars Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni, among others.
Woody Allen‘s highly mysterious film Midnight in Paris has made its way back from Cannes and will be appearing in theaters this weekend. For me, this is one of my favorite Woody Allen films in a long time. It’s not necessarily what you would expect from Allen, though it does follow certain patterns we’ve come to know from him and one can definitely see references to his earlier work. There’s something both nostalgic and yet fresh about the film that makes it fun to watch.
Plot
Mightnight in Paris is romantic comedy with a twist. The film starts with a couple traveling to the French capital for business and their different reactions to the world around them. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.
What Worked
The Acting: For me Corey Stoll who plays Ernest steals the show. He does a fantastic job of bringing his character to life in a fun and lively way. Wilson is one of Allen’s best leads in a while, mainly because he’s so NOT Woody Allen like. His laid back persona allows you to watch a Woody Allen film without watching Woody Allen. Michael Sheen, brilliant as an American playing an anglophile. Alison Pill, Kathy Bates, Tom Hiddleston and all the rest all gave wonderful and surprising performances.
The Concept: Without giving anything away, it’s a bit far-fetched and not something entirely new, but the way that Allen handles the idea with such nonchalance is really quite fun.
The Scenery: Allen and his cinematographer Darius Khondji really do an amazing job of capturing the feel, almost the smell of Paris in the spring time. They take their time establishing the location, light the scenes in a way that makes everyone and everything glow, and use some classic music to help you take it all in. Really well done.
What Didn't
Not Broad: This is not a film for everyone, and without giving too much away, you need to have a certain amount of knowledge of art history and literature and desire to know more about it in order to really find the film amusing. If you’re a nerd like me, it’s a blast and really fun to see so many well known faces, as well as unknown names on the big screen.
Allen Cliches: It’s hard not to see patterns repeating themselves, it’s up to you whether you see that as good or bad. I for one didn’t mind them, in fact I rather enjoyed them, others may easily have a different opinion and one I can understand, just not relate to.
Overall, Midnight in Paris was a really interesting film and if you have any knowledge of literature or art you will definitely appreciate the references and find it humorous. It’s one of Allen’s better films of late, it’s extremely well made and the acting is superb. It was really a pleasant, fun experience to sit down to, and one well worth watching.
