If you ask any cinephile to list his or her favorite films of all time, at least one Woody Allen film is likely to make the cut. The iconic director may be revered for his early comedies, but his latest film, Midnight in Paris, proves that he still has what it takes to captivate audiences with his imaginative storytelling.
Midnight in Paris centers on Gil (Owen Wilson), a screenwriter attempting to divert from the Hollywood fluff of his day job and finish writing a novel while vacationing with his fiancée, Inez (Rachel McAdams), and her parents in the city of love. As a nostalgic dreamer who longs to tap into the brilliance of Paris in the 1920s, Gil cannot seem to relate to Inez’s superficial desire to live in Malibu and play the role of wealthy trophy wife. One evening, tired of carrying on with Inez and her friends Paul (Michael Sheen) and Carol (Nina Arianda), Gil drunkenly wanders the city’s streets and, upon accepting a carriage ride from a group of friendly strangers, finds himself transported back to the time he idolizes. He then discovers that the friendly strangers are not exactly strangers; rather, they are famous artists and writers from the era who are eager to help him with his novel and lend him sound advice. The more Gil frequents the past when the clock strikes midnight, the more he learns to ensure his happiness in the present.
Though Allen’s work in recent years has been hit and miss, this charming film swept me off my feet with the way in which it illuminates the wonders of Paris. The opening sequence––various shots of the city in motion––lets the audience know from the very beginning that, in typical Woody Allen fashion, the film’s setting is the star of the show. However, keeping this significant detail in mind is almost vital in order to enjoy the decisions the director makes in terms of character and plot development. Each character that exists in Paris’s “present” is paper thin at best, playing the most clichéd versions of themselves possible. McAdams’s snooty Inez proves to be the most guilty of this as she saunters through her scenes obnoxiously punctuating her distain for her fiancé’s whimsical ambitions, though Wilson is hardly better off with the dopey role he is given. These personalities could never carry the film on their own, but because they are juxtaposed with the lively, charismatic figures that live in Paris’s “past” (namely, Allison Pill’s portrayal of Zelda Fitzgerald and Marion Cotillard’s turn as Adriana), they serve a greater purpose: to create an internal conflict for Gil and to ultimately propel the film toward a delightfully fulfilling conclusion for its audience. Predictable? Yes, but uninspired? Absolutely not.
The golden era of Annie Hall may be long gone, but Midnight in Paris is bound to woo you regardless.
