Midnight in Paris
Midnight in Paris
Mediapro
Uptown
****1/2
Cast: Owen Wilson (Gil Pender), Rachel McAdam (Inez), Mimi Kennedy (Helen Pender), kurt fuller (John Pender), Tom Hiddleson (F. Scott Fitzgerald), Marion Cotillard (Adriana), Corey Stoll (Ernest Hemingway), David Lowe (T.S.Eliot), Adrien Brody (Salvador Dali), Olivier Rabourdin (Paul Gauguin), Francois Rostain (Edgar Degas), Marcial Di Fonzo Bo (Pablo Picasso), Kathy Bates (Gertrude Stein), Michael Sheen (Paul), Thierry Hancis se (Phil), Lea Seydoux ( Gabrieela).
PG-13. Running time: 100 minutes. Director: Woody Allen.
“Midnight in Paris” is proof the old “hopeless” romantic director, Woody Allen, still packs a punch in his cinematic mind. Most of his more recent films such as the flat “Melinda and Melinda” (2004) and slightly entertaining “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (2008) have been rather torporific works. He wrote the screenplay for “Midnight in Paris” which should be considered for an Oscar for 2011. “Midnight in Paris” is extraordinary. Adding to an excellent script, the compelling fantasy with novelist Gil Penders, Played beautifully by Owen Wilson, on vacation in Paris with fiancee Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her parents John (Kurt Fuller) and Mimi Kennedy (Helen).Gil is fascinated with Paris, especially back in the 1920s. Gil gets his wish strolling through Paris alone at midnight. Like magic, a yellow and black Ford pulls up offering him a ride to a nightclub where he meets famous writers like F.Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleson), Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates), T.S.Eliot (David Lowe), painters like Pablo Picasso (Marcial Di Fonzo Bo),Salvador Dali (Adrien Brody), and so forth. Yes, it”'s a flashback to the 1920s, where these people lived and breathed. But by day Gil is back to 2010, standing with his girlfriend Inez and her parents trying to explain (away) where he”'s been last night and many nights to come. He seems to be bored if not miffed at Paul (Micheal Sheen), an”expert”on Paris exhibits, who Inez had a crush on back in college days. Gil seems to flex his pectorals when corrects Paul”'s mistakes on pieces of art.
Suspecting something”'s not right with Gil mysterious night crews along Paris streets, John has him followed by an investigator. Inez begins to think Gil may have something seriously wrong mentally because telling her and her parents he”'s met T.S. Eliot or Ernest Hemingway.
To Woody Allen”'s credit, he treats “Midnight in Paris” with care making “Paris” an ecstatic movie. Allen”'s not in the film–he need not be”“he speaks through Owen Wilson quite well in this romantic comedy.
