Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris

I don't belive there is a modern Director that tells the story of a city better than Woddy Allen - Manhattan, Annie Hall, Vicky Christina Barcelona and now Midnight in Paris.

Set in modern day Paris, a young couple - writer Gil (Owen Wilson) and his extremely dislikeable fiance Inez (Rachel McAdam) are in Paris together with her parents. Gil is in love with Paris, particularly Paris of the 1920s. Needless to say, Inez is not. I won't waste time talking about how unlikeable Inez is, but Rachel McAdam really does a good job of portraying this spoiled, American ignorant brat.

Walking along the streets of Paris at midnight, a vintage car pulls over and Gil is invited to join them for a ride. Night after night at midnight he gets in to the car to be transported to Paris of the 1920s - meeting Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemmingway, Pablo Picasso, Cole Porter, Salvador Dali, Gertude Stein, Man Ray, Henri Matisse, TS Eliot etc...

The film opens with the most beautiful montage of Paris - minutes... a sincere homage to a city that the Director obviously knows and loves.

The ensemble cast is outstanding. Owen Wilson (in the Allen persona) is the best I've seen him, Rachel McAdam was so annoying - very well played. Highlilghts for me were Corey Stoll as Ernest Hemingway, Alison Pill as Zelda Fitzgerald, Adrien Brody as Pablo Picasso. When Adrien Brody came on screen I heard some girls whisper "That's Adrien Brody" and after his first rant as Picasso, the theatre erupted in applause. I am a massive Brody fan, and he steals the show here - with only 2 minutes of screen time. Stoll as Hemingway is suitably intense, delivering some of the best lines in the script. Kathy Bates is also really good as Gertrude Stein.

And then of course there is Marion Cotillard as Adriana, a woman Gil meets and falls for in 1920s Paris. She is also looking towards the past - Le Belle Epoque... She, together with Penelope Cruz (who is not in this film) are - to me - goddesses! So beautiful, She plays her role with fragilility and grace. I love her.

At the end of the film the audience errupted in applause. This is something I've seen Australian audiences do only once or twice before.

This movie was exquisitely filmed, beautifully written, the cast well assembled and in my opinion flawless. I laughed throughout, but it was moving as well.

Lovers of Paris will love this film. For me, I have no feelings either way about Paris, but I love the way Woody Allen tells a story, and i have been a lifelong fan. I love the way he shows off architecture and hand selects every piece of music in his soundtracks. I love how his characters are flawed and insecure and strong at the same time. I love all the pauses in the dialogue, all the thinking you can physically see in his characters.

Like Allen's Purple Rose of Cairo when the film stars come to live, there is no explanation (like a dream) for Gil going back in time night after night. It just happens.

Loved it. 4.5/5.