User reviews

Woody Allen's love affair with France, which goes back decades, finds its finality with "Midnight in Paris," the latest of Allen's Parisian brochures, which recently opened at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. The good news is that Allen seems to be paying attention in a way he hasn't always done in recent films, and has found a way to channel his often-caustic misanthropy, half-comic fear of death and anti-American bitterness into agreeable comic whimsy. The nominal point of "Midnight in Paris" is that we've all got to make the best of life in our own time while longing for a past that probably never existed. If anything, Allen seems to be rebuking himself, ever so mildly, for his compulsive romanticism, his obsession with the past and his disconnection from contemporary American life. Allen has baked us a sweet, airy Parisian dessert with just a sense of sentimental substance in the finish. One of his better films in his latter years.

I'd been meaning to watch Midnight in Paris for ages but, I have to confess, I was put off by the presence of Owen Wilson, who I could not really envisage as the lead in a Woody Allen film. He was actually surprisingly good though and did a decent job as the vessel from which Allen's brilliant dialogue could be heard. However, this is not an actor-driven film or even a story-driven film; its beauty lies in the simple but clever script and the easy-going laid-back style that you'd expect from a Woody Allen film all about nostalgia.

To be fair, I can completely understand why there have been so many negative reviews of Midnight in Paris. There isn't a great deal going on superficially and the characters are all gloriously stereotypical. This doesn't matter though because, although the film is quite simple, it is at the same time wonderfully clever and thought-provoking. However, you do probably have to be in the right mood to watch it. I saw this film on a lazy Saturday afternoon and wasn't expecting too much, so when I was left both entertained and thinking about the past, the present and the future, it was a pleasant surprise. There are few films these days that still have you thinking about them several days later – this is definitely one of them. What do you want from life, with whom do you want to experience it, and why are we always so dissatisfied with where we are and what we've got? Like I say, quite thought-provoking!

It's incredibly ironic that some critics go on about how Woody Allen films aren't anywhere near as good as they were back in the seventies and that he's a has-been pseudo-intellectual, when here he is making a film about nostalgia and poking fun at pseudo-intellectuals in both an obvious and also a more subtle manner. Midnight in Paris is full of self-parody and interesting contradictions, but not everything is immediately apparent and I believe that some viewers of the film may have simply taken it at face value and consequently been left thinking "is that it then?".

On a slightly more negative side, I am perplexed that some people have praised the cinematography and the wonderful images of Paris in the light, in the dark and in the rain. To me, the use of colour and imagery are not too impressive and I would argue that Paris has looked far better in plenty of other films. The music can be a little annoying too – especially in the opening sequence, which seems to go on for ever!

As I said before though, Midnight in Paris is primarily about the dialogue and the interesting ideas that it throws out to the audience. Catch them if you like, and run with them. It's a great easy-going relaxing film that'll hopefully leave you both entertained and thought- provoked.

8/10

Woody Allen's love letter to romance and Paris in the 1920s, with its nucleus of historic artists and writers drawn to the city by its beauty and irresistible forces of creative gravity.

Human nature often pines for the romance and nostalgia of an earlier era, but one (hopefully) discovers that the "golden age" can be our world today, should we choose to recognize and explore its existence around us.

One of Woody Allen's most universally appealing films laced with subtle humor, and memorable cinematography. The keys to his protagonist role are handed over to Owen Wilson for this excursion into a Parisian daydream fantasy (that sets sail every nite at midnight).

Superb supporting cast delivers as does Allen's direction and pacing of the film - On my "5 Favorite Woody Allen Films" list, and highly recommended.

I was, until half an hour ago, struggling with life, I graduated from my university last year and I haven't coped with this new life style, I kept feeling nostalgic and depressed and wishing to go back to the past because I liked it there, it really affected my life badly. Thia movie helped in a way I could never explain to you, helped me see things in a clearer way and more importantly helped me move on, I'm forever grateful to Owen Wilson and Woody Allen, thank you very much.

There's something about the midnight hour, something special, mystical, and magical. In the case of this marvelous movie, its impact is fully realized, as we see our protagonist suddenly realize that he has the opportunity to face that which he truly admires, treasures, and dreams about. In the opening scenes, he expresses his desire to settle in the city of lights, and we know it's not going to be an easy thing to do. His girlfriend and he are quite different in their appreciation of what being in Paris means. She understands it's special, maybe from an aristocrat's point of view. He might be looking at it, as the dream place for an artist to find aspiration to fulfill his artistic goals.

One night, he wanders into the streets of Paris and finds himself lost, only to find himself rescue by a party of night socialites who turn out to be quite famous in some literary circles. Soon, the screenwriter/aspiring writer has an opportunity to see himself living one of his dreams as well as slowly come to some surprising epiphanies as he discovers more and more who his new acquaintances might truly be, and most important what their dreams really are.

The film is set in several time periods, and Paris glows intensely and seductively in everyone of those. From its overcast skies and reflective streets, showing lovely architectural details and its magnificent landmarks to the superb and lovely recreations of older time periods, one can't help being seduced, charmed, and inspired to find a way to show what a special place, and consequently what a truly magical film this might be.

Performances are outstanding all around, with Cotillard once again stealing every second she is on the screen. Through her eyes and carefully delivered lines, we understand what attracts us to this special time and place. She is a gorgeous and very talented performer, one who might be truly aware of her standing, yet she doesn't dwell on it. She attracts many types, but her philosophy is unique, move on, enjoy, live the moment. In a way, she is like the city that has inspired Allen, and many others before him. Paris as a place might not be aware of its magnetism, its beauty, and its power. Cotillard's muse is the perfect human equivalent, a dazzling and potent woman, who moves from man to man, place to place, time to time, and who surprises us with her own wishes near the end of the story.

Wilson inhabits the Allen persona, and he does a very good job, not creating a tired imitation, an annoying cliché that could have ruined the perfect balance of sight, sounds, and insightful dialog, keeping this masterpiece way ahead of the best Allen has offered before. For those of us who gasped during the fantasy sequences of "The Purple Rose of Cairo", the marvelous recreations of the stage in "Bullets Over Broadway", the dissection of relationships in many of his best films, get ready to see it all finally come together, as he picks from the best, and adds his personal touch, with many a funny and clever observation, uttered by Wilson with a honest and complete sense of wonder. Unlike many of his leading men, Wilson displays an innocence which allows him and us to see his adventures in a fresh light.

"Midnight in Paris" is a beautiful display of what movie magic can truly create, a sense of wonder long gone from contemporary cinema; This is a movie that entertains, teaches, and wears each one of its elements, like Paris bewitches us with every light, every facade, and every heartbeat of its music.

"Paris, France is exciting and peaceful." Gertrude Stein

Welcome to the world of Woody Allen as he has always loved it: nostalgic, romantic, imperfect, and full of hope. Midnight in Paris is one of his finest treatises on the lure and delusions of the past: Like Zelig it depicts other times, like Purple Rose of Cairo it uses magic realism to deal squarely with the present. Allen has another of his surrogates, this time Gil (Owen Wilson),who virtually experiences the past (the twenties) while dealing with the troublesome present.

Gil, engaged to marry Inez (Rachel McAdams), is with her and her parents on business in Paris where he hopes to work on his novel while he is still a successful Hollywood writer. Although she is a materialist who would like him to become wealthy to enjoy the life his parents are used to, he dreams of escaping the hack work of LA and living in the City of Lights for inspiration, just as his idols Fitzgerald and Hemingway did in the roaring twenties.

Well, the twenties roar back to him as he experiences their friendship and the mentoring of Gertrude Stein, among just a few of the many expatriate luminaries he meets through the magic of nostalgia. Just one of the Allen signature touches that make him the equal of great European directors such as Rohmer and Godard is opening the film with music that reflects the allure of the twenties, the romance of Paris, and his abiding love for this city: "Si Tu Vois Ma Mere" by Sidney Bechet combines jazz, the clarinet, the twenties, and Allen with a romantic nostalgia.

Owen Wilson catches the halting diffidence of the typical Allen persona without slavishly imitating him. Yet whatever little duplication Wilson employs endears as he sweetly visits his heroes, falls in love, and comes to terms with his writer's voice and his mismatched engagement. But that engagement is the troublesome present; the past offers the chance to experience history on a human level that only someone who writes for now and reveres the past can do.

The magic and the realism, both requiring hard work from the protagonist, lead to surprising understanding of human nature, the delusion of nostalgia and Paris, and hope for a present that brings love and inspiration.

"For all we know, Paris might be the hottest place in the universe." (Gil)

It's been at least a decade since I have enjoyed an Allen movie this much.

I absolutely adore this movie. All of the actors did such a wonderful job portraying all of the figures and the movie itself is just absolutely stunning. This movie just brings me so much comfort and happiness, it never fails to make me feel better (even if it's just a little bit) when I'm feeling low or sick. And yes- i know it's not the most amazing film but it's still a good one!

"Do you think it's possible to love two women at the same time?," asks our protagonist Gil Prender to a tour guide discussed Auguste Rodin's love for his mistress and his wife. Like that's the first time we've heard that question in a Woody Allen movie. Infidelity, gorgeous women, and neuroticism are some of Allen's favorite motifs, so it's really not too much of a surprise that they all appear in Midnight in Paris.

That said, Allen's rendition of those ideas feels fresh this time. Midnight in Paris is a sweet, fun romp through the art world of France. This light comedy may not have some of the heavier messages about adultery and art that previous Allen films have had, but Midnight in Paris is, nonetheless, an enjoyable exercise in allusion to the Lost Generation and artists of the 1920s.

Midnight in Paris begins with the same idea of a man, in this case a screenwriter named Gil played by Owen Wilson, searching for connection with the real world. The protagonist is clearly a projection of Allen's self, but no matter. Gil is engaged to the Inez, played by a blond Rachel McAdams who coincidentally (or is it?) looks like Scarlet Johansson from Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Inez bores Gil with her pretentious friends and spiteful parents, which ultimately causes Gil to seek inspiration on his own time by drunkenly wandering that streets of Paris. One night, he is invited into a car that takes him back to the 1920s where he meets his favorite writers and artists, something that eventually leads to a breakthrough in his work. A large supporting cast includes Kathy Bates, Allison Pill, Adrien Brody, Michael Sheen, and Marion Cotillard.

Allen's conception of Paris is just as romantic as the story itself. The film's physical look matches some of the complexities of the women in that it appears to be almost splashed in gold. It is, after all, the City of Lights. It's a beautiful movie that matches the pretty faces of its starring women.

Allen's screenplay leaps right off the page thanks to his cast, but this too is something that isn't unusual for a Woody Allen film. At his best, Allen picks actors that play their parts with a sense of realism that, when combined with some elements of the fantastic, charm the audience. Just about everyone here manages to do just this, with the exception of Rachel McAdams, who tries her hardest with an underdeveloped character. Marion Cotillard is the best of the cast (as per usual) in her role as Picasso's mistress. She's bursting with sexuality yet she's grounded in her ability to deliver her dialogue with her natural French accent.

Midnight in Paris is fantastique. In comparison to Woody Allen's previous tales of lust and spite, his newest film feels like a dessert rather than a filling entree, yet this is exactly how a good, highbrow summer movie should be. The cast shines just as bright as the lights at the top of the Eiffel Tower and Allen proves himself worthy of his place in society as a master director once again. By no means a classic, Midnight in Paris is a pretty little diversion, one that is grounded in a theatrical gimmick that totally works every time. This, along with The Tree of Life, will be one of a few summer movies that will dazzle visually (without explosions) and somehow manage not to insult the viewer's intelligence.

Midnight In Paris follows a young writer in a visit to Paris with his fiancée where he travels all nights ninety years back in time to get advise and friendship from the literary geniuses of the time. Yes, it's another film from Woody Allen, but this time is not as routinary as You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger or as cheeky as Vicky Cristina Barcelona. This shows Woody Allen at the standard he should be at every year. Original, funny, engaging and with some light meaningful message that we all relate to; what else can you ask from a film?

The colors and cinematography of the film are more of the same of the post-Barcelona Allen, all beige and brownish, but he achieves a beauty in his portrayal of Paris that has not come from him since he first visited London with Match Point in 2005. It's also the most original screenplay he has written since, and the plot works and looks like one of his short stories, as a crazy, illogic and absurd showcase of gags and jokes.

The performances are all fine, nothing stellar though, except for Adrien Brody's magnificent role as Salvador Dalí. Owen Wilson does a very good job but he tries too much to be and act like Woody Allen. The impersonations are all great -Hemingway,Picasso, Buñuel, Fitzgerald- they all look exactly the same than in real life.

This is a film that will surely not disappoint any moviegoer or Allen fan. It's true that it doesn't come close to other of his better films, but it is a step forward from Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Cassandra's Dream, You Will Meet... and even Scoop and Whatever Works. Still, if you want to enjoy some true Woody Allen, go and see Annie Hall, Hannah And Her Sisters, Crimes And Misdemeanors, etc. This is not anything brilliant, but it is very entertaining, amusing and original; and it its a great time spent at the movies.

Midnight In Paris is a surreal and touristic romantic comedy with clever comical gags, a creative story and a beautiful portrayal of the City of Lights.

Rating: 3.5/5.

The love between the French and the Americans has always been mixed with an element of dismissal even contempt but the love is real. Woody Allen walks that fine line in truly inspired fashion. "Midnight in Paris" is a delight. This is he first time I actually loved Owen Wilson. He is terrific as Woody's alter ego. Rachel McAdams superb. Her mean American girl is hilarious and frighteningly recognizably, so are Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy as her parents. What a chillingly awful, normal pair. I loved the moment in which Owen Wilson, in a great close up, comes to accept what's happening around him. I accepted it too. Happily. Another stand out moment: the meeting with Salvador Dali, played brilliantly over the top by Adrien Brody. Highly recommended.

MIDNIGHT IN Paris sounds good on paper and looks in ads. The film opens with a long sequence of views of the sights in Paris - no actors, no story, just the breathtaking magnificence of the City of Light. For this viewer that section i the most rewarding of the entire film. Once the film starts Woody Allen imposes an improbable story with stereotype characters and with a few notable exceptions, it gets stuck in its own cuteness.

VERY briefly screenwriter wannabe novelist Gil (Owen Wilson playing Owen Wilson) and his bride to be Inez (Rachel McAdams) are in Paris with Inez' parents (Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy) who in turn are on a business trip. Inez is a bore: Gil wants adventure. As Inez sees the touristy places with her friends, the hideously boring pedantic Paul (Michael Sheen) and his flaky partner Carol (Nina Arianda), Gil escapes to walk the streets of Paris and fall in love with the history and the magic of the city. At the stoke of midnight he is picked up by an elegant car and is taken to the 1920s where he encounters Cole Porter (Yves Heck), Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll), F Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston) and his Zelda (Allison Pill), Josephine Baker (Sonia Rolland), Alice B. Toklas (Thérèse Bourou-Rubinsztein) and Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates), Picasso (Marcial Di Fonzo Bo) and his current flame Adriana (Marion Cotillard who seems to have phoned in her performance), Djuna Barnes (Emmanelle Uzan), Salvador Dalí (Adrien Brody - in probably the only convincing performance in the film), Man Ray (Tom Cordier), Luis Buñuel (Adrien de Van), TS Eliot (David Lowe) - in other words all the famous artists of the 1920s. Gil is captivated by the opportunity to share his work with these greats, though he finds it difficult to understand time travel. He falls for Adriana who in turn wishes she could live in the time of Le Belle Epoque so of course Gil and Adriana time travel again meeting Henri Matisse (Yves-Antoine Spoto), Toulesse-Lautrec (Vincent Menjou Cortes), Paul Gauguin (Olivier Rabourdin), and Edgar Degas (François Rostain) at Maxim's. Gil by day grows less enamored with Inez and by night more infatuated by Adriana and in the end there is a permanent schism between Gil and Inez and we are left with the moral 'Don't wish to live in another time than your own.'

Sounds like a run through of famous names? It is. Wilson is inept at romantic comedy, and Woody Allen's script is fairly boring for Allen's works. BUT Paris is Gorgeous - and that is enough!

Grady Harp

I loved this movie! It blends film noir with Stardust Memories, The Purple Rose of Cairo, and a bit of Annie Hall. The scenes of Paris were enough to make one fall in love. The music was superb! Having all the artists and writers show up was the ultimate name dropping contest! Their caricatures were hysterical! Casting Adrien Brody as Salvatore Dali was mind blowing, along with the surreal discussion about a rhino.

I think Owen Wilson is the best Woody Allen by far. He has a kind of naivete that seems to fit perfectly with who Woody seems to be and the combination of Owen's good looks with Woody's humor is riveting!

Of course the "nostalgia" theme and the -I really want to be somewhere else because it's too boring here- give the story a whole other layer of meaning. For we artists and writers it's one of the things that sparks our creativity, so I loved this discussion and the never ending unraveling the story provokes. While he's entertaining you, getting you to laugh hysterically about it all, you're actually getting the point he's trying to make! There is no one who is so brilliant! Enjoy!

Quite a lot of great lines carrying life's wisdom; Profound reflection and insight of living the precious present expressed in a light-hearted touch! If you have your own 'Golden Age' fantasy, you will likely enjoy it. This movie seems to be relatively more straightforward in communicating its message than some of Allen's other works, such as "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger." As a plus, lovely cinematography of the city of Paris - Mr. Allen has apparently fallen in love with the 'good old (and charming)' European major cities; e.g., London, Paris, Barcelona and etc. Very likely, you will leave the movie theater with a big and warm smile on your face...

As crazy as it may be, this is the first Allen film I have ever seen, and after watching this, I am definitely going to watch all of his others. This kind of film makes me wonder how we can be happy with rom coms where we know the films entire plot from the advert. I was completely caught by surprise at the romantic, clever, intriguing, funny, interesting and thoroughly well written script. I had no idea about the plot and was happily led by Wilson's character into the depths of Paris' magical midnight strike. Other actor's involved did a great job too. I was particularly impressed with McAdams as it just adds to her ability to play any role. I think overall I'm simply in awe at the film. It's a classic. A really refreshing idea, gently portrayed in an almost realistic way, like this French magic really does exist. The music and scenery adds to the charm of the film and the subtle humour is a nice touch too. I would definitely recommend this to anyone and will watch this over and over again for years to come. Along with Manhattan, Match Point, Annie Hall....

My expectations for this were pretty low. I expected to be bored and not too interested, but I was wrong. I found myself to be curious like Gil and enjoying this love letter to Paris. Are we always destined to long for what's in the past or are we ever going to enjoy the present?

Woody Allen takes Paris and bathes it within its own glory all the while making one of his most entertaining films in decades. Great cinematography, classic music, french food, french culture and Allen's trademark humor are pure magic. You may see some of the familiar character types from other films, but they only add to the mixture. Odd man out is Owen Wilson, but somehow he sheds his B-movie past and encompasses the Woody Allen humor without mimicking Allen. The ever-evolving plot twists will have you laughing as well as entranced. This is the first Allen film (in a long time) where he doesn't pontificate about life and death, but only celebrates the present while ironically, living in two eras. This is beyond Oscar material.

Because I heard such good things about it. I ended up liking the bits of music in the background, the look of Paris itself, and two of its principal actresses--Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard, both of whom played their roles to the hilt.

But I had trouble with Owen Wilson's habit of "slavishly" portraying Woody Allen as the troubled central character who finds living in the past is giving him the kind of nostalgic glow he craves. It takes the full story to unwind before he finds a girl who likes to walk in the rain alongside him and is also an eager devotee of Cole Porter's romantic music. Wilson's imitation becomes tiresome before the first scene is over and from then on I had a hard time just trying to enjoy the film.

Lots of name dropping goes on throughout the writer's story, once Wilson embraces the past at the magic hour of midnight. He meets F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda, Picasso, Gertrude Stein (a bored looking Kathy Bates), a macho Ernest Hemingway and a hilarious Salvador Dali adroitly played by Adrien Brody. There's a hit and miss aspect to the casting of these celebrated characters but they provide the right comic relief.

But something seems wrong from the start, mainly due to the wrong casting of Owen Wilson as the protagonist. He seems as nervous and on edge as his mentor (Mr. Allen), but watching him is an uncomfortable experience.

The film is slight but amusing, although hardly worthy of a Best Screenplay Oscar.

It had to happen sooner or later, and finally it did. Woody Allen and Paris "fell" in love with each other, and, as the result, we, the viewers, received a precious gift from the master of subtle, intelligent and charming dra-medies, gentle and charming "movable feast," the new movie "Midnight in Paris ".

I have been a fan of Woody Allen for long time and seen all his movies, those that he made, and those in which he starred or only wrote the screenplay for. I look forward to each of his films and I am ready to love them before I even see them. I knew I would like Midnight in Paris, but I had no idea how good it was. From the first frame, following the Darius Khondji's camera on such familiar but uniquely beautiful streets, alleys, boulevards and quays of the City of Light, it was hard not to fall in love with Paris and with the film of Allen, his love letter to the most famous city in the world, capital of love and Mecca for writers, artists, musicians and artists to whom Paris gave inspiration during all times and epochs - Belle Époque 1890s, the Golden days of the 1920s, and today, right now...

Midnight in Paris is a delightful, kind (yes, this is Woody Allen), light, and charming film, which can be described as A Paris Midnight Magical Movable Feast. Paris in the film is beautiful during day light, night time, bright sun, and rainy hours. Oscar nominee, the master cinematographer of many remarkable films, including Panic Room, Se7en and Evita, Darius Khondji worked with Allen on three films: Anything Else (2003), Midnight in Paris (2011), and the next film, the Roman project Bop Decameron (2012).

Soundtrack consists of Allen's favorite songs from the 1920s-30s by such songwriters as Cole Porter, Glen Miller, and Enoch Light, and from the repertoire of Josephine Baker and Juliet Greco. For the original film theme, Allen picked the guitar composition of the French jazz guitarist Stephane Wrembel "Bistro Fada". Wrembel's influence and source of inspiration has been the music of the famous French Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, whose longtime fan and admirer is Woody Allen himself. According Wrembel, Allen was searching for a typical French-Parisian melody, reflecting the spirit and atmosphere of Paris. I can confirm that the film theme and the songs that Allen picked up for Midnight in Paris are important, integral component of the film's charm and add to the romantic and joyous feeling that the film brings to the viewers.

As always, in Woody Allen's movies, the actors give uniformly good performances. Owen Wilson is very convincing and likable as Gil, Hollywood's successful screenplay writer who works on a first novel, a protagonist, a much younger, attractive, and funny Woody Allen stand-in. Adrien Brody played the best role since The Pianist (very small cameo, but memorable and hilarious). Kathy Bates was very believable as a famous literary critic and friend to the struggling talented writers and artists. Alison Pill was impressive as the bright, outgoing but showing the signs of instability wife of the celebrated American writer. I hardly recognized Corey Stoll but liked him a lot as another famous American writer. Watching Marion Cotillard, I had no problems believing that the character she played, Adriana, could have been the muse and the girlfriend of not just one but three amazingly and uniquely talented world renowned painters. Rachel McAdams (Inez, Gil's not so romantic fiancée), Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy (Inez's parents on the business trip in Paris who don't seem to approve their daughter's choice), and Michael Sheen (Paul, Inez's pedantic and arrogant former boyfriend from college) were quite good as not very likable Americans. The First Lady of France, Carla Bruni appeared in a small role of a museum guide.

The story itself was so lovely in using the time travel as the plot device and brought so many funny and sharp one-liners, dialogs and scenes as well as the plenty moments of recognizing the beloved literature and art figures of the past, that I sat and smiled happily during the whole film. Like I mentioned in the beginning, I expected to love the film even before I saw it and knew from the very first scene that I was in for something very special but my husband, who is much more reserved in his ratings and not often calls a film a masterpiece, used the word for Midnight in Paris and asked whether the film has won some prestigious prizes. Well, the awards season is several months away, but for me, and I am sure for all Woody Allen's fans, Midnight in Paris is a great prize from the writer/director.

I love Woody Allen, so already I'm biased. But even I will admit that he's been spotty for the last...my God!...twenty years or so. "Curse Of The Jade Scorpion" will forever be his lowest moment, and in his later phase "Match Point" and "Vickie Christina Barcelona" remain the highlights. Well, we can add another to that list. By no means is this movie an "Annie Hall" or a "Manhattan", let alone a "Husbands and Wives". But if you've been bored by what you've been seeing at the Multiplexes lately, if you think "The Hang-Over 2" sucked and you've despaired that the romantic comedy is dead...than I'm delighted to tell you to go see this movie right now. See it on a big screen! It's gorgeous to look at, fun to watch, romantic, sweet, smart, and pleasantly old-fashioned. This movie is not a masterpiece, and yet I'm giving it 10/10 because it was perfect for what it was -- a modest pleasure that left me in a great mood, and even a little inspired.

SPOILERS.. whatever your feeling about the writer... AND the lead... this one turns out to be a fun romp in Paree. slightly magical, since it involves traveling back in time. Gil (Owen, my least favorite WIlson) is on a quick trip to France, to meet up with his girlfriends' parents; as soon as we meet the girlfriend (Rachel McAdams), we can tell they are so different, it doesn't bode well. and her parents are forthright but rude. I like the fact that the science behind his trips back to the 1920s are never really explained. he finally figures out that at the one place, at midnight, he'll be transported to the time and people he admires. Kathy Bates and Adrien Brody co-star as Gertrude Stein and Dali. nominated for a bunch of oscars, it DID win for best writing. this is showing on hdnet channel. it's pretty good, in spite of the fact that i'm not really a fan of woody allen or owen wilson.

Owen Wilson plays a present-day Hollywood screenwriter and novelist on vacation in France with his fiancée and her parents; he's transported back in time to Paris in the 1920s by a magical taxi, where he meets legendary literary and artistic figures who help the writer put his work and his love-life into focus. Allen, who wrote and directed but does not star, is seemingly in love with Paris, and he appealingly uses fantasy to both confuse and clarify reality, but he's lacking interesting, wonderful central characters (a major problem which cools this confection out). Stepping in for Woody, Wilson doesn't have a dynamic screen presence--he fades into the foreground; Rachel McAdams is also disappointing, and the comedic scene involving her missing earrings (which should play fast and smooth) has a bland denouement. Allen's nostalgia for the past is fun for awhile, but he doesn't use it to build momentum; fairly soon, we're stuck in a revolving door of personalities and romantic couplings, sequences which have an attractive sheen but ultimately feel a little underwhelming. Four Oscar nominations with one win: for Allen's original screenplay. ** from ****