Director: Woody Allen
Writer: Woody Allen
Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cottilard
Release Date: May 27, 2011
Length: 1 hour 40 minutes
Over the past fifty years, the literally unstoppable filmmaker Woody Allen has had his fair share of hits and flops. He is however, one of the very few directors that can be automatically forgiven for his flops because his next film will be so incredible that no one cares about the movie that bombed. He might also be one of those few forgiven directors because he incredibly writes, directs and sometimes even stars in a film every year. Midnight in Paris is one of the ones that swiped those unremarkable films from my memory within the first five minutes. This story has Owen Wilson playing the Allen-esque character, Gil Pender, a hack Hollywood screenwriter, who has traveled to Paris with his high maintenance fiancé, Inez (Rachel Mcadams). Gil hopes to be inspired by the city of love for writing his first novel, which is set in his favourite era, Paris in the 1920s. However, he unfortunately keeps suffering writer’s block. When Inez refuses to walk around Paris at night with Gil, he takes a stroll by himself through Paris, but when the clock strikes 12, his perspective on Paris will be changed forever. There’s nothing more enjoyable than a good Woody Allen movie. Films like Melinda and Melinda, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and now Midnight In Paris are just perfect with Allen’s never ending clever and witty writing and impeccable acting from his always-brilliant cast. Allen films have also always had beautiful cinematography and production design, but Midnight in Paris is the first Woody Allen film to visually entrance you into another era. Costume designer Sonia Grande gives the film the style of the 1920s as well as beautifully contributing to the distinct personality of each icon like Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald and Salvador Dali. Production designer Anne Seibel wonderfully distinguishes the flavourful almost fantasy-like 1920s from what seems like the boring and modern 2011. Seibel does this so much so that you heartily desire to live in the 20s like Gil, but of course that is what Midnight In Paris is all about, everyone wanting and not being able to live in a past era. Allen’s script is so creative to put an idealist in his favourite era, with his idols; it feels like a Gore Vidal novel. Woody Allen can create incredible films, but having Midnight In Paris partly take place in the 1920s makes everything ten times more exciting, including the script. Allen’s take on the literary, art, music and film icons of the 1920s like Picasso, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald is ingenious and also quite hilarious sometimes. The fantastic cast only embellishes the distinguished personalities of the era. Alison Pill is theatrical and effervescent as Zelda Fitzgerald while Corey Stoll is eloquent and poetic as Ernest Hemingway. Kathy Bates is wonderful in her portrayal as the real mentor to all these artists, Gertrude Stein and Adrien Brody is hysterical as the passionately bizarre Salvador Dali in one short memorable scene. Marion Cottilard gives a great performance as the wishful tossed muse between all the icons, that Gil finds himself very attracted to her. With Allen’s vibrant writing, these talented actors bring the 20s to life for the audience and we can appreciate the era that much more because of them. Owen Wilson carries the film incredibly as the charmingly naïve and idealistic Gil, who dreams of having a life in the 1920s and publishing written work he can actually be proud of. His goofy presence and lack of confidence with his high maintenance fiancé Inez, played by Rachel McAdams makes the audience sympathize for the likable character and desperately want him to stick up for himself. McAdams takes a break from being everyone’s favourite sweetheart and returns to her bitchy roots from Mean Girls, with her character in Midnight in Paris. McAdams is irritatingly snobbish and condescending as Inez, who – even more appealingly – comes from a family of wealthy pretentious Americans. Her parents are well played by Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy, who more than once says, “Cheap is cheap” to Wilson’s frugal character. McAdams makes the audience perfectly hate her while still being extremely entertaining to them and her haughtiness with Owen’s meekness make for a hilarious movie pair. English actor Michael Sheen is also humorous as Paul, an ostentatious know-it-all old friend of Inez, who runs into her and Gil while traveling with his wife in Paris as well. The entire cast is beyond magnificent in this completely original work of the forever beloved genius filmmaker Mr. Woody Allen. Something that Woody Allen has over every other great director in Hollywood is that he writes the most intelligent, witty scripts and always hires a phenomenal cast to bring his bright ideas to life. At 80 years old, Allen is still releasing film year after year and his films just keep getting better. Midnight In Paris is simply dazzling, so it’s looking like Woody and his tremendous skills aren’t going anywhere.
Writer: Woody Allen
Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cottilard
Release Date: May 27, 2011
Length: 1 hour 40 minutes
Over the past fifty years, the literally unstoppable filmmaker Woody Allen has had his fair share of hits and flops. He is however, one of the very few directors that can be automatically forgiven for his flops because his next film will be so incredible that no one cares about the movie that bombed. He might also be one of those few forgiven directors because he incredibly writes, directs and sometimes even stars in a film every year. Midnight in Paris is one of the ones that swiped those unremarkable films from my memory within the first five minutes. This story has Owen Wilson playing the Allen-esque character, Gil Pender, a hack Hollywood screenwriter, who has traveled to Paris with his high maintenance fiancé, Inez (Rachel Mcadams). Gil hopes to be inspired by the city of love for writing his first novel, which is set in his favourite era, Paris in the 1920s. However, he unfortunately keeps suffering writer’s block. When Inez refuses to walk around Paris at night with Gil, he takes a stroll by himself through Paris, but when the clock strikes 12, his perspective on Paris will be changed forever. There’s nothing more enjoyable than a good Woody Allen movie. Films like Melinda and Melinda, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and now Midnight In Paris are just perfect with Allen’s never ending clever and witty writing and impeccable acting from his always-brilliant cast. Allen films have also always had beautiful cinematography and production design, but Midnight in Paris is the first Woody Allen film to visually entrance you into another era. Costume designer Sonia Grande gives the film the style of the 1920s as well as beautifully contributing to the distinct personality of each icon like Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald and Salvador Dali. Production designer Anne Seibel wonderfully distinguishes the flavourful almost fantasy-like 1920s from what seems like the boring and modern 2011. Seibel does this so much so that you heartily desire to live in the 20s like Gil, but of course that is what Midnight In Paris is all about, everyone wanting and not being able to live in a past era. Allen’s script is so creative to put an idealist in his favourite era, with his idols; it feels like a Gore Vidal novel. Woody Allen can create incredible films, but having Midnight In Paris partly take place in the 1920s makes everything ten times more exciting, including the script. Allen’s take on the literary, art, music and film icons of the 1920s like Picasso, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald is ingenious and also quite hilarious sometimes. The fantastic cast only embellishes the distinguished personalities of the era. Alison Pill is theatrical and effervescent as Zelda Fitzgerald while Corey Stoll is eloquent and poetic as Ernest Hemingway. Kathy Bates is wonderful in her portrayal as the real mentor to all these artists, Gertrude Stein and Adrien Brody is hysterical as the passionately bizarre Salvador Dali in one short memorable scene. Marion Cottilard gives a great performance as the wishful tossed muse between all the icons, that Gil finds himself very attracted to her. With Allen’s vibrant writing, these talented actors bring the 20s to life for the audience and we can appreciate the era that much more because of them. Owen Wilson carries the film incredibly as the charmingly naïve and idealistic Gil, who dreams of having a life in the 1920s and publishing written work he can actually be proud of. His goofy presence and lack of confidence with his high maintenance fiancé Inez, played by Rachel McAdams makes the audience sympathize for the likable character and desperately want him to stick up for himself. McAdams takes a break from being everyone’s favourite sweetheart and returns to her bitchy roots from Mean Girls, with her character in Midnight in Paris. McAdams is irritatingly snobbish and condescending as Inez, who – even more appealingly – comes from a family of wealthy pretentious Americans. Her parents are well played by Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy, who more than once says, “Cheap is cheap” to Wilson’s frugal character. McAdams makes the audience perfectly hate her while still being extremely entertaining to them and her haughtiness with Owen’s meekness make for a hilarious movie pair. English actor Michael Sheen is also humorous as Paul, an ostentatious know-it-all old friend of Inez, who runs into her and Gil while traveling with his wife in Paris as well. The entire cast is beyond magnificent in this completely original work of the forever beloved genius filmmaker Mr. Woody Allen. Something that Woody Allen has over every other great director in Hollywood is that he writes the most intelligent, witty scripts and always hires a phenomenal cast to bring his bright ideas to life. At 80 years old, Allen is still releasing film year after year and his films just keep getting better. Midnight In Paris is simply dazzling, so it’s looking like Woody and his tremendous skills aren’t going anywhere.
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