(Warning: may contain spoilers)
I’m writing this around midnight, in Paris. I just saw “Midnight in Paris”, and now, at midnight (in Paris) I have to say that “Midnight in Paris” is no midnight in Paris.
It was funny, and clever, and beautifully shot, and filled with little bits of historical asides and knowing inside references.
But I remember a time when Woody Allen lived in a better universe, where there existed other beings beside himself, a world inhabited by exciting characters, like Annie Hall, who could challenge and thrill us (and him) with their beautifully imperfect and achingly rendered humanity.
“Paris at Midnight” has none of this. It seems to be about a man engaged to a one dimensional cartoon character, who suddenly finds himself plunged into a world where all of his heroes have turned into one dimensional cartoon characters, where he meets a female version of himself who also turns out to be a cartoon character.
In the end he is saved (apparently) because he falls in love with a Barbie doll.
Woody used to be better than this.
Well, when you put it that way… I have to agree that the one-dimensionality of the fiance and her parents made them rather uninteresting—a lost opportunity.
Romances are always better with two strong main characters. Maybe the love interest in this movie was actually Paris (of Woody’s/Gil’s imagination) rather than any of the women.
Still, sounds like fun to actually see it in Paris!
Yes, arguably it’s a love poem to Paris thinly disguised as a romance. And on that level it works — especially if you are in Paris!