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Friday, May 27, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW
Midnight In Paris
A Neurotic Writer's Dreamy Parisian Paradise
Owen Wilson as Gil and Rachel McAdams as Inez in Woody Allen's "Midnight In
Paris".
Sony Pictures Classics
by
Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com
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Friday,
May 27, 2011
Woody Allen has been making films about himself for essentially the past 40
years but in the last 20 years few of them, except "Husbands And Wives" and
"Match Point", have registered in my mind as solid, compelling entertainments.
Mr. Allen's latest, "Midnight In Paris" marks a return to the wild, wacky and
fanciful Allen films that had energy and life. Set in the European City Of
Lights, Mr. Allen gives us a chance to absorb the sights and streets of Paris in
a memorable bluesy jazz opening. Mr. Allen is a big Blues fan, and the
introduction marks his initial intentions to be faithful to depicting an
authentic vision of Paris.
The curtain however, is pulled back to reveal parody, not about Parisians
necessarily, but about the "ugly American" who inhabits one of the romantic
city. Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams play a soon-to-be-wed couple on
vacation in Paris. Mr. Wilson is Gil Pender, a California writer trying to
get his bearings and his novel published. As Inez, Ms. McAdams epitomizes
the stereotyped American in Paris so well here, satirizing and parodying the
type to an absolute tee.
Inez is enamored by Paul (Michael Sheen) a pretentious sort who thinks he's a
knowledgeable Francophile, which gives Gil a chance to savor and wander the
streets of Paris late at night the way Mr. Allen lavishes in the film's opening.
At midnight he walks right in to what may look like Central Casting but is the
Roaring Twenties and some of the great late 19th and early 20th century artists
and writers in some sort of Hall of Fame reunion.
You need not know who all of the famed artists are to enjoy and appreciate Mr.
Allen's film, although if you do you will enjoy the film and laugh even harder
than the rest of the audience. For the some of the more jaded types
"Midnight In Paris" will likely be another tired exercise in the neurotic,
self-loathing character that often centers Mr. Allen's films, and Mr. Wilson, in
arguably his best performance on film, plays the director better than most other
actors have in Mr. Allen's previous films. Mr. Wilson doesn't shed the
director's trademark worrisome look or constantly vulnerable shell, and he loves
inhabiting the auteur's skin.
Written with a mix of acidity and farce, "Midnight In Paris" is nothing if not
delightfully entertaining, delivering steady laughs. It's a more
open-ended, less confined and angst-ridden film than some of the director's more
recent work, and "Midnight In Paris" is more accessible. Many will
identify with the romanticism of an era and a longing to live in another time
and place perceived to be better than the existing one. Mr. Allen gives
audiences something to think about: would you rather get lost in a fantasy land
and be completely removed from the realities of the day, or would you be content
only to have a temporal stay in a land that you feel is enchanted and beautiful?
"Midnight In Paris", the best Woody Allen film since "Match Point", is a
romantic comedy at heart, a film in love with its place, time and its nostalgia.
You can't help but laugh at Mr. Allen's troupe of terrific ensemble performers
as they master their domains so effortlessly. For once, you don't laugh at
the characters you see, you laugh with them, and heartily.
With: Marion Cotillard, Lea Saydoux, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Mimi Kennedy,
Kurt Fuller, Nina Arianda, Carla Bruni, Alison Pill, Tom Hiddlestone, Sonia
Rolland, Yves Heck.
"Midnight In Paris" is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association Of
America for some sexual references and smoking. The film's running time is
one hour and 34 minutes.
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