Friday, May 18th, 2012
Marie Grant welco0mes back Woody Allen and his midnight magic
AFTER THE SUCCESS of Vicky Christina Barcelona, Woody Allen’s planted his flag back in the Old World with Midnight in Paris.
Californian Gil’s billeted in the city’s swish Bristol Hotel with fiancee Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her parents. But it’s a fur-lined trap.
Cinderella time
After an opening at the Rodin Museum proves particularly hard going, browbeaten Gil pops out stag for a stroll to enjoy the midnight magic, only to be greeted at Cinderella time by some retro-seeming compatriots in a vintage Peugeot.
Next up-wowdewow hokum alert – he’s travelled back in TIME to hobnob with a Jazz Age set including Hemingway the Fitzgeralds, Cole Porter and surreally enough-Salvador Dali! Literary agent Gertrude Stein is even on hand to advise Gil on his unfinished novel …..
Owen Wilson’s spacey onscreen charm bridges the two-tier narrative with seamless effect. Midnight in Paris is also jam-packed with star turns from Marion Cotilliard, Adrian Brody (a very convincing Dali) Corey Stoll (Hemingway).
Carla Bruni helps out
Carla Bruni is also helpfully on hand to act as Gil’s interpreter when he finds an old diary written by his obsession-art supergroupie Adriana, sometime lover of Modigliani Braque and this up and coming Senor Picasso….
Midnight in Paris-which has proved its creator’s biggest grosser to date-could be viewed as farfetched Euro-piffle. Unlike Vicky Christina Barcelona, it is somewhat lacking in dramatic momentum.
But it boasts a certain midnight magic and is a triumph for a 75 year old director who, although written off frequently in recent years even by former acolytes, still delights in giving the gift of laughter as follows….
Marie Grant is a regular wwdewoiw blogger on culture.
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Do you think is a real comeback for Woody? Your opinion welcome below in readers comments.
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Tags: Cole Porter, erenest hemingway, gertrude steain, midnight in poaris, midnight magic, rachel mcadams, Salvador Dali, the fitgerals, Woody Allen
I liked it as any reader would do, given the historical part with so many great writers being very well drawn.
Brody was great as Dali but he is my favourite actor.
I found the relationship with Gil and his in-laws to be quite a cynical one on his part – because they were plainly footing the bill for everyone. This hit a sour note for me.
I did not find the film especially funny
But am still glad I saw it – who am I kidding- I wouldn’t have missed it.
It was quite enchanting
Okay It’s not Annie Hall, Love and Death or Hannah and Her Sisters……
Indeed Clare, the present day element was a bit cardboardy and hit a few slowly moving targets.
This segment lacked the magic of Gil’s time travel adventures and the ending was pat. But Midnight in Paris was still delightfully performed and touching work from a director who has been wrongly written off in recent years. And why? Because he looks ancient/has had a chequered private life it’s somehow very easy for others to pass comment on .Bravo Woody and thanks for the laughter you’ve given us through the decades .
Cannot help but agree with you groover
Of all you have mentioned Hannah and Her Sisters is my favourite.
It contains the line.
“How do I know why there were Nazis? I can’t even open this tin.”
Genius.
I thought Vicky Christina Barcelona was amazing by the way. Rebecca Hall’s performance was under-rated. Thank god she had more to do than in Frost/Nixon