After the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to glowing reviews, my excitement grew even more. So much so that I was desperate enough to check airfare to New York City to see the movie a week earlier than I could here in Chicago. But of course, limited funds and common sense took ahold of me and I chose to be patient and wait for its Chicago release. Finally came the moment when I bought my ticket and walked into the theater. My expectations were beyond sky high that I was almost afraid they wouldn’t be met. Well, that fear was for nothing because Midnight in Paris is one of the best Woody Allen movies that have come out as of late.
The movie opens with many different shots of Paris, throughout the day, rain or shine. We meet Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) and his fiancée Inez (Rachel McAdams). Gil is immediately enamored by the city, while the snobby Inez doesn’t understand his preoccupation with it. A former big Hollywood screenwriter, Gil wants to write something that’s actually good, preferably a novel. One night, he takes a stroll around the city and finds that he wandered into a magical place.
As always, Woody Allen’s characters are entertaining and work well together. He also always brings together a great cast. I immediately identified with Gil; something I haven’t really been able to do with any of Owen Wilson’s previous characters. Gil is humble, easy-going, and doesn’t care about the bottom line. Inez and her parents are the opposite. Same goes for Inez’s friends, whom include the hilarious “pseudo-intellectual” played by Michael Sheen. The rest of the cast includes Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, and Tom Hiddleston. I wish could elaborate on their roles, but trust me they play a part in the best scenes of the film.
The cinematography is lovely; it’s hard not to be astounded by a beautiful city like Paris. We see it the way Gil sees it, a magical place. Truly magical. This movie is different from what I expected, but it’s the best different ever. It has the standard Woody Allen charm but it takes you to a new level of thinking and believing. Allen once said:
As I said before, I do think we live in a nightmare and I feel the same way that Blanche Dubois feels: I want magic; I don’t want reality. I want the paper lanterns hung over the bare light bulbs, like she did. And if there is any way to escape reality, I’m all for it.
This is what Gil wants, and in turn, what the audience wants, and you can practically say the same thing about every other movie audience out there. We want that escape, we dream of something different than our reality. With this movie, we almost come to an understanding with this entire notion.
I absolutely recommend this movie to everyone. If I could, I’d buy the whole world a movie ticket, so they can all see it. Without a doubt, it’s my favorite movie this year… so far. If you plan on seeing it, avoid reading or seeing anything that may spoil the movie for you. I went in not knowing anything but the trailer, and it was best decision I had made in awhile.
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Midnight in Paris is now playing in select theaters. Click here to see when and where it’ll be playing in your area!
Source: Daily Beast (P.S. Very good article about Woody Allen’s favorite books!)
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