About Grant

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New York, NY, United States
Filmmaker and essayist. Director of DREAMS OF THE WAYWARD ('13) and QUIT WHILE WE'RE BEHIND ('18). Film Studies MA graduate of Columbia University.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Film Review: "Midnight In Paris" (2011) directed by Woody Allen 5/5

Have you ever wanted to live in a different time period? I have, and so has Owen Wilson's character Gill in "Midnight In Paris". Woody Allen is known for writing films about nostalgia (and has often starred in the main rolls of his own films as the nostalgic character), but for his latest film he passes the acting torch to Owen Wilson who plays a toned down variation of the stereotypical Woody Allen protagonist.
Gill (Owen Wilson) is a struggling writer seeking inspiration while on a trip with his fiancé in Paris. When they stumble upon some old friends of his fiancé's, Gill (being a to-himself kind of guy) alienates himself from her and her friends by roaming the streets of Paris as he tries to think of new ideas for his book. What he finds in the late hours of Paris though, is much more than just inspiration.
This film is a blast from beginning to end, and could easily be enjoyed by anyone who is a fan of art, literature, music, or movies in general (particularly compared to some of Woody Allen's past films).
In Woody Allen's 42nd film, he pays tribute to the people of the early 1900s who inspire him most (Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Picasso etc etc) in a very comical and hilarious fashion. Though, these characters are not just in the story for purposes of entertainment, as they help Gill become a greater person and gain a greater understanding of his own life.
This film has beautiful imagery that is not overpowering, and the editing was clever and helped reveal the characters and the story.
This movie is the ULTIMATE comedy of the summer! It's smart, but not overly sure of itself, it's fun yet still fragile (just like the director), and it's a pleasurable nostalgic walk through history that is never raunchy or foul.
Pure comedy with lots of originality in a summer that is besmirched by sequels and hangovers.

My ranking: 5/5 stars

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