Midnight in Paris

Anyone who has ever read this blog should know that I am a huge Woody Allen fan. Probably the biggest Woody Allen fan who wasn't actually alive during his heyday. I will never not recommend a Woody Allen movie unless it starts with the words "The Case of the" and ends with "Jade Scorpion." But, seriously speaking, Midnight in Paris is probably Woody's best movie in years. And this is coming from someone who really, really enjoyed Match Point and Vicky Cristina Barcelona. But Midnight in Paris is just so much fun, and so imaginative. It has the sort of whimsical loveliness of The Purple Rose of Cairo mixed with Woody's new found love of foreign countries.

Midnight in Paris stars Owen Wilson (who is, arguably, the strangest actor Woody has ever chosen to stand in for him, although it all sort of works somehow) as Gil, a man who writes brainless Hollywood scripts but longs to follow his dreams and become an important literary voice. You see, he idolizes the likes of Hemingway and Fitzgerald and wants so badly to live in the romanticized period of 1920s Paris. He's engaged to a terribly annoying spoiled rich brat named Inez (Rachel McAdams) and the two are in Paris with her terribly annoying spoiled rich parents (Mimi Kennedy and Kurt Fuller). While in Paris, the young couple begins spending time with knowitall Paul (Michael Sheen) and his adorable girlfriend Carol (Nina Arianda). However, Gil isn't really feeling their company and begins taking walks by himself late at night. Well, when the clock strikes midnight something very... strange happens. And I'm not going to say what it is. I'm sure you can find out if you really wanted to but, honestly, I had no idea what the plot really was going into the film which is probably why I loved it so damn much. It was such a creative and pleasant surprise for me that I will not ruin it.

Woody has written and directed a great little film, one that truly encompasses the magic of movies. The cinematography definitely matches Gil's love of Paris. This is a love letter to Paris the way Manhattan was a love letter to Allen's hometown. The performances here are all pretty top notch. Wilson is fantastic as Gil, romantic and idealistic, longing for a time gone by and entranced with his new found adventures. He's a refreshing change of pace for the usual neurotic Allen leads. I guess if you like McAdams then you would be impressed with her performance and they way she manages to grate on your every nerve. I, however, am not a fan so I wanted to punch her in the face for an hour and a half. And while none of the supporting performances will win an Oscar the way Penelope Cruz did for Vicky Cristina Barcelona, they are still pretty spectacular. Sheen is hilarious although he doesn't have enough screen time. Marion Cotillard is absolutely breath taking as an artist's muse. Adrien Brody is laugh out loud funny in his role, which is little more than a cameo. But best in show has got to go to Alison Pill and Corey Stoll, two character actors that manage to steal every single scene in which they are a part.

All in all, this is, by far, Woody's best movie in the last few years. It's clever and intelligent, interesting and entertaining, hilarious and heartfelt. Midnight in Paris is a very surprising, and very good movie.

Grade: A-