Review of Midnight in Paris (2011) by Halfwelshman — 25 Mar 2012

With Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen attempts to whip you off on a rip-roaring adventure through the very best of 20th Century art and literature. At some points, he succeeds. 1920s Paris is beautifully re-created, and the gradual introduction of every artist and writer you can imagine sharing a warmly-lit, smokey cafe in 1920s Paris is rather fun.

Allen has attracted some real talent to play these icons, with Corey Stoll's grouchy Hemingway and Adrien Brody's brilliantly batty Dali being particular highlights. Concerning the "real people" in the film, Owen Wilson gives a staggeringly good performance as struggling writer Gil Pender, proving he can handle more serious roles as well as the comic ones (though there is still ample opportunity for him to wisecrack as only someone with his boyish charm can).

Marion Cotillard also impresses as Adriana, a 1920s resident, a muse of Picasso (Marcial Di Fonzo Bo) and the woman who captures Gil's heart. Rachel McAdams is far less impressive playing Inez, Gil's spoilt, stroppy and selfish wife - she's just plain irritating and you really can't wait until Gil escapes her clutches.

Michael Sheen is good as always, but plays a colossal a-hole, Paul Bates, a self-important, faux-intellectual art lecturer, and like with Inez, you can't wait to leave him behind. Though the premise of the film, of a man who is displaced in time and finds new artistic inspiration from a bygone era, is a thoroughly interesting one, the way in which Allen guides his story does not always work.

The plot plods excruciatingly for the first 20 minutes or so - rather than moving the story along, it feels as though you're reading a tacky tourism brochure over Allen's shoulder. Things do improve once Gil first arrives in the 1920s, but it does at times feel like Allen is showing off how well-read and art-savvy he is.

As sometimes happens with his films, his slightly patronising and arrogant tone can grate. Yes, Woody Allen is a talented screenwriter, and a competent director, but he can also be rather irritating in his tendency to want to shove his intellectualism down your throat.

Midnight in Paris does work as a film, and has some nice ideas, performances and a good screenplay. If you're already a fan of Mr Allen's work, then I'm sure you'll love it. If not, then it likely won't convert you, and the film is a bit self-absorbed at times.

It's the third Woody Allen film I've seen, and I'm still not certain I can see what all the fuss is about.