Not being the hugest fan of Woody Allen, I had convinced myself I would never see Midnight in Paris when 1) I heard that Owen Wilson was the star and 2) I saw the trailer for the first time. Woody Allen has never done much for me. I can appreciate how much he has contributed to Hover over the years. He really doesn’t take much of a break. More importantly, I like that he writes most of the screenplays for his movies if not all. And while there have been a couple of his films that I did like (most notably Annie Hall and Match Point), for the most part, I have found them to be rather stale. I know he has his die-hard fans who will see anything that he sees. I will most likely only see a Woody Allen movie if it earns a Best Picture Academy Award nomination. Hence, my review.
Midnight in Paris was okay. It wasn’t great. It wasn’t terrible. It was average. Nothing more, nothing less. Even in a weak movie year, I did not feel this movie should have earned a Best Picture nomination. The story revolves around Gil (Wilson – Wedding Crashers, Zoolander) and his fiance Inez (the underwhelming Rachel McAdams, star of The Notebook, The Time Traveler’s Wife), who are on a holiday vacation in Paris with her parents. The couple appears to be very much in love, and never in the movie do we ever sense there is any dissension or dissatisfaction. Gil is a successful Hollywood screenwriter who dreams of writing a novel that will one day be compared to some of the greatest novels of all. While experiencing Paris for the first time, Gil is swept up by everything his dream city offers. While Inez wants to shop, dine, and dance, Gil wants to roam the streets. While Gil could see himself living in Paris, Inez dreams of living in a large house in suburban America. As compatible as the mates are, they are very different.
Since I saw this movie without knowing more about the story, I won’t give the rest away. I’ve read other critics say that the preview gave away the movie’s story, but I didn’t see it since that wasn’t what I was looking for when I watched the trailer. I watched the preview one time and wondered to myself, why the hype? The trailer provided just enough intrigue to spur my interest. I knew I had to see it and even thought I might enjoy the film for a while. I didn’t necessarily want it, but I didn’t hate it. As I’ve already stated, it was just average.
Without giving away any specifics, the movie revolves around Gil’s self-discovery. His thoughts on life change as he travels the streets, visit the pubs, and experiences the different personalities of Paris. The more Paris becomes a part of him, the more he wants to stay in the city. He puts his writing aside and ignores Inez to the point where he wonders if he wants her to be part of life. His journey is enjoyable. I don’t think you’ll be bored watching it, but you’ll be disappointed if you go in thinking that this movie will be great.
Plot 8/10
Character Development 8/10
Character Chemistry 7/10
Acting 8/10 (Owen Wilson was the right choice to play the lead. He’s non-assuming. He’s charming. He’s sincere. He’s likable. He came to work but didn’t overact his character as he had done in some of his past movies. McAdams and the other actors aren’t very good)
Screenplay 8.5/10 (always a fan when the director is also the writer)
Directing 7/10
Cinematography 10/10 (Paris is beautiful, and Allen showed it)
Sound 10/10 (solid music selection)
Hook and Reel 7/10
Universal Relevance 9/10 (I think all of us can relate to the escapism this movie provided on some level)
83.5%
Movies You Might Like If You Liked This Movie
- About Time
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- Lost in Translation
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