Review of Midnight in Paris (2011) by Ryangee — 30 May 2011

Grade: A-.

The Golden Age is a period of great peace and happiness, an ideal era that is ultimately self-labelled by the subjective minded individual. Woody Allen takes this farcical notion and expands it through the enchanting backdrop of France intertwining it with somewhat of magical storytelling. By doing so, he illustrates the futility of this "Golden Age" belief. With the charm and insight that channels his work prior to the 90s, Allen's Midnight In Paris gives us a glimpse of the director's comedic brilliance that has been unseen since Crimes And Misdemeanors.

Taking a page from previous work The Purple Rose of Cairo, Allen re explores the "what-if" type of narrative, a wish-granted hypothetical situation. Midnight In Paris tells the story of screenwriter turned novelist, Gil Pender (Owen Wilson). On a vacation with his conventional fiancee (Rachel McAdams), Pender wanders away into Paris and is then transported by a car to the 1920s, the era in which he preconceives as perfect. There he meets the Lost Generation's Fitzgeralds and Hemmingway, and other iconic figures from the 20s. He soon conceives the idea that he finds inspiration in this past era, but finds out nostalgia is not all what it is said to be. Gil's transportation to the Golden Age of Paris is romanticized and illustrates the Parisian street setting as one of charm. Overall, the story gives off a dream sense of emotion with its subtle yet captivating cinematography and balances it with its entertaining story. Although none of the performances necessarily standout (Cotillard, who plays Owen's eventual love interest, comes close), Allen's clever writing gives the film its intellect and also its humor. The film does not quite have as much depth as Annie Hall (but I mean, what does?), but its charm and sentiment undoubtedly satisfies the cultured and romantic individual in us all.