Midnight in Paris (PG-13) 94 minutes B-
An Ode to Paris, Nostalgia, and the Muse
Starring Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Nina Arianda, Kurt Fuller, Tom Hiddleston, Alison Pill, Lea Seydoux, and Corey Stoll.
Everyone knows that I "heart" Woody Allen films. Therefore, it is sometimes hard to write about his work without great affection. Additionally, all of the hype surrounding Midnight in Paris elevated my excitement more than usual (I have yet to see a negative review). So, with expectations high, I have to admit that I didn't love it as much as I thought I would.
The film is clever, smart and beautiful. However, it is missing a little of the edginess and cynical bite I often get from an Allen film. For my tastes, Midnight in Paris could have benefited from less nostalgic ambiance and more profundity into the main character's psyche. Yet, most literary and artist-types will find it quite amusing to see the return of Gertrude Stein, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, T.S. Eliot, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and other icons from the early 1900's.
I tend to like Allen's darker, more tragic material. Nevertheless, that doesn't change the fact that this is good film with mass appeal. Furthermore, every woman I know who has seen Midnight in Paris really liked it. This surprises me a little, but I guess there is no denying the mystical and enchanting charm of Paris, and the golden age of love, art and literature.
2 comments:
Best Woody Allen movie ever! The more I think about it, the more I liked it!
I´m truly gald to read your review.
I´m a great fan of Woody Allen´s, but I had the same impression you did.
I think the best way to describe "Midnigh in Paris" is: "this is good film with mass appeal".
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