Woody Allen gets a little sentimental in Midnight in Paris.
Not your grandmother’s Woody Allen that laments and kvetches over the pointlessness of life. This time the legendary writer/director tilts the game toward delightful surprise. In the inspired comedy Midnight in Paris, in the most romantic city in the world, Allen explores the commonly held concept that the present can never measure up to the golden days of the past. He rolls his idea down some adventurous roads to unexpected places, and in the end, leaves us feeling light and happy and thoroughly entertained.
Engaged couple Inez (Rachel McAdams) and Gil (Owen Wilson) are visiting Paris with Inez’s wealthy parents. Gil is a thriving Hollywood screenwriter who could probably support Inez in the manner in which her parents have spoiled her. But Gil is a romantic who dreams about the creative times of the 1920s. He yearns to finish writing his novel and making it great, but he’s haunted by insecurity and conflict. The practical Inez encourages him to forget the novel and stick with what he’s so good at, so they can live happily ever after in Malibu. Midnight in Paris is about a few days in Paris that change their lives.
Midnight is brimming with screen stars—Michael Sheen, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, and Marion Cotillard. This whimsical story explodes with imagination, soothes us with romance, touches us with wisdom and magic, and serenades us with musical classics. This Woody Allen creation is a feast for the heart, mind, and soul that satisfies like a fine chocolate mousse. A
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