Midnight in Paris (2011)

Featured Audience Ratings

• paul s

  
  If I were to sit back and reflect upon this film, I could easily see the threads that hold it together - the one trick pony of its gimmick and the tired love/not love story that is holding the center (a theme we've seen a million times before, not to mention several times by… More
  If I were to sit back and reflect upon this film, I could easily see the threads that hold it together - the one trick pony of its gimmick and the tired love/not love story that is holding the center (a theme we've seen a million times before, not to mention several times by Woody himself). But.... And my, that's a very large but - while you are watching the film you are swept away by the lovely whimsy - the romance for a city and for a time and place - the romantic notion that sometimes something magical can happen; and that is not only by definition but by inference, ART. That this film is marginally about art and what art has to say (while being in and of itself a bit of art), is half the fun. The other half of the fun is seeing who will turn up next. Not going to spoil the surprise of the film's gimmick, just mention that I enjoyed every minute of it. The film even gets high marks for remaining sweet and somewhat sentimental, even while presenting the argument (in a beautifully compelling way) that we all think that the grass is greener. Perhaps this resonates well with me, as I have all but abandoned popular music while still being mightily impressed by the creative output of the 60's and 70's of my youth. The true beauty here is the film's pacing and style. Beautifully filmed with lot's of indirect yellow lighting, making the city of light seem wonderfully surreal - which is part and parcel of the script. Wonderful performances abound - especially in some of the lesser, near cameo roles (Adrian Brody comes to mind, playing the character billed only as Salvador). Of course at the film's center is Owen Wilson, who channels the humor and neurosis of Woody perfectly. In conclusion, if you want to sit back and analize the film, you can certainly poke some holes in it - but I don't think that the film will allow you to do so while watching it - unless you don't believe in magic, you'll be swept along - so just sit back and let this film wash over you... to quote a lyric from MY favorite time - "turn off your mind, relax and float downstream".

• Daniel P

  
  Full review coming soon.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen, Adrien Brody, Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni, Gad Elmaleh, Kurt Fuller Director: Woody Allen Summary: In this charming romantic comedy, legendary director Woody Allen focuses his lens on an engaged young couple whose… More
  Cast: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen, Adrien Brody, Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni, Gad Elmaleh, Kurt Fuller Director: Woody Allen Summary: In this charming romantic comedy, legendary director Woody Allen focuses his lens on an engaged young couple whose experiences traveling together in Paris make them begin to question the kind of life they want to live. My Thoughts: "I guess I am one of the few who thought the film was visually beautiful but terribly boring. The strolls around paris was a great part of the film because of the beautiful surroundings. I did enjoy some of the character's, like Kathy Bates as Gert, Corey Stroll as Ernest and Adrien Brody as Salvador. Rachel and Michael play very annoying characters in this film. I didn't care for either of them. Midnight was the best part of the film. The rest wasn't needed. It has a great cast, no doubt. But I got bored with the film very quickly and couldn't wait for it to be over with. It was a miss for me."

• Adriel L

  
  Beautifully funny with really quirky story that's both uniquely honest and remarkably charming.

• Anthony L

  
  I think Midnight in Paris is quite self-indulgent of Woody Allen, it certainly feels personal. This is a good thing in my book and the reason why it's so good - easily the best he's made since his last real self-indulgent film, Sweet & Lowdown. There are 3 different… More
  I think Midnight in Paris is quite self-indulgent of Woody Allen, it certainly feels personal. This is a good thing in my book and the reason why it's so good - easily the best he's made since his last real self-indulgent film, Sweet & Lowdown. There are 3 different types of Woody Allen film though, there's the all out comedy, the romantic comedy where the comedy is more subtle and the then there are the films he directs but doesn't star in - or at least, someone else plays him (In this case, Owen Wilson). Sometimes these cross over but when they work they work, when they don't they are horrible. It's odd how someone can make such an awful film like You will meet a tall dark stranger one year, and Midnight in Paris the next but what he has essentially don't is mixed the three main components of his films together and has eased off the stuff the audiences obviously don't like as much. I thought it was great, I loved it. I think his follow up should be a comedy biopic of Dali played by Adrien Brody, fat chance but wouldn't it be great.

• Alexander D

  
  To say the very least, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is by far one of the best films made in 2011. It takes a certain knowledge and appreciation of Woody Allen to understand the poetic humor put on display, but one who can appreciate that different type of humor will surely find this to be more… More
  To say the very least, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is by far one of the best films made in 2011. It takes a certain knowledge and appreciation of Woody Allen to understand the poetic humor put on display, but one who can appreciate that different type of humor will surely find this to be more than just an enjoyable romantic comedy. One who has that sense of humor will understand how utterly hilarious this truly is. Ranked #5 of 2011. Full Review: http://wp.me/p1Urcx-zE

• Josh M

  
  Midnight in Paris, is a charming, frothy confection, for fans of Woody Allen, 20th century American literature and Paris. I am happy that Woody has the biggest hit of his directing career with this one, (I'm not sure why). It's the story of Gil, a time travelling… More
  Midnight in Paris, is a charming, frothy confection, for fans of Woody Allen, 20th century American literature and Paris. I am happy that Woody has the biggest hit of his directing career with this one, (I'm not sure why). It's the story of Gil, a time travelling Paris-o-phile author played by Owen Wilson, who for unexplained reasons, travels back to the 1920s and meets every famous artist by sheer luck (Hemmingway, the Fitzgeralds, Cole Porter, PIcasso, Dali, Gertrude Stein, and many others. Wilson is uhappily engaged to shallow harpy Inez, (Rachel McAdams, playing an uncharacteristic return to her mean girl, all grown up and 30 something) In the 20s, he falls in love with PIcasso's girlfriend (Marion Cotillard). It's fun, full of terrific comic turns, looks wonderful (Paris as an HD picture postcard) has some very amusing little impersonations of iconic artists (look for the scene stealing Cory Stoll as Hemingway, and hammy Adrien Brody as Dali). Look for France's first lady Carla Bruni as the guide at the Rodin museum. Midnight.... is ultimately about very little of substance except one interesting point: why are we all nostalgic for an idealized past that was never really ideal? That point, tackled with imagination and wit, is thin, and not enough to give this movie gravitas and purpose. Woody won a best original screenplay Oscar for his efforts, but the writing is self-conciously chatty and the characters all seem to speak in Woody's voice, especially Owen Wilson, California surfer drawl and all. He's fun to watch, though a bit of a one trick pony, his iconic character works well in this role and has the audience's sympathies. Cotillard plays a more complex character, but the movie cheats her of a real pay off, stranding her in the belle epoque 1890's (her dream nostalgia period) with no real resolution. Still for me, it was a delightful and tasty romp, and well worth a look. That said, even latter-day, 21st century Woody films like Vicky Christina Barcelona and Match Point are much more substantial and satisfying films (the less said about Scoop or Whatever Works the better), that I do wonder why this particular one hit pay dirt for Mr. Konigsberg. But., hey.. whatever works.

• Joshua W

  
  Forgive my terminology but this is writer's porn. This was one of the most clever and entertaining film to come out in a while. The script was amazing. Woody Allen proves he's still got it and I would argue is getting better. I do think this film would have been better… More
  Forgive my terminology but this is writer's porn. This was one of the most clever and entertaining film to come out in a while. The script was amazing. Woody Allen proves he's still got it and I would argue is getting better. I do think this film would have been better suited to star 80's Woody Allen as the lead actor but Owen Wilson who has a similar domineer (Minus being jewish) did do a good job and I'm glad to see him doing more serious films and be taken more seriously by critics. Corey Stoll and Marion Cotillard were the real stand outs in my opinion. They had the most believable performances and I feel snubs durring award season. I would recommend this to people who enjoy clever writing but not for the modern movie goer. Sadly most people who go to the movies wouldn't give this film the respect it deserves. Bravo Woody bravo.

• Graham J

  
  One of the most enjoyable and delightful of Allen's films to me. Wilson was great as Woody Allen as well.

• Chris M

  
  Owen Wilson is phenomenal in this very charming, light hearted film. I loved his interactions with the past and how they affected his present. The setting is just beautiful, it makes you wan't to travel to Paris.The film had a great message about how we human beings would love to… More
  Owen Wilson is phenomenal in this very charming, light hearted film. I loved his interactions with the past and how they affected his present. The setting is just beautiful, it makes you wan't to travel to Paris.The film had a great message about how we human beings would love to go back in time and be in a different era, because we think things were better. But though it is a great film, it is not the greatest of 2011. Overall, I would probably recommend this film if you enjoy light hearted comedies or if you would like a movie with an imagination.

• E.J. B

  
  Midnight in Paris is simply a delight to behold. If it isn't the best film by the end of 2011, I will be very very surprised. Like Annie Hall, Midnight in Paris highlights every facet of Woody Allen's talent, from his uncanny ability to create unique characters, his… More
  Midnight in Paris is simply a delight to behold. If it isn't the best film by the end of 2011, I will be very very surprised. Like Annie Hall, Midnight in Paris highlights every facet of Woody Allen's talent, from his uncanny ability to create unique characters, his unmatched ability to write fascinating and quirky dialogue, to his willingness to take risks. I loved this movie! Owen Wilson is perfectly cast in his role as Gil, a writer who feels out of place in his time. Wilson generally stars as these naive, soft spoken, likeable characters, and this is best work since Bottle Rocket. Never failing to mention his opinion that the 1920s Golden Age is be the best time to be alive, Gil undergoes much criticism from his soon to be wife (played by Rachel McAdams), her family, and his peers. He's just written a book and is fighting to publish it apart from the Hollywood system that employs him to do rewrites to scripts he feels far above. One night he decides to stroll through Paris and is whisked away into a magic realist portal through time, right into the Golden Age where he dialogues face to face with F. Scott FItzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, and Dalle. Woody Allen makes a film every year, and many of these are more like reasons to keep him working. But every so often he makes a film that is so unique, so wonderful, and so perfect that it reminds audiences to just what remarkable talent he has. Midnight in Paris is that movie. I studied the Modernist movement in university and every character is portrayed exactly as they might have been. The beautiful and lovely setting of Paris is magnified in multiple time periods, so that the evolution of the city itself becomes a parallel story. Within it, the characters that Gil meets in the past and the present serve to change his outlook on life. Through Gil, Woody Allen seems to be reflecting on the common belief that a person alive today may have been better off having been born in another time. That might be so, and Gil certainly feels right at home in 1920s Paris, but what shocks him is how many people living in this time don't agree. As Gil comes to terms with his purpose in life, and the choices he must make, we realize that we too should embrace the life we have, as there is no greater time to live than the present. What a remarkable film this is.

• Sanjay R

  
  A very original and satisfying film. Owen Wilson does a good job and Woody Allen writes a great screenplay that contrasts a person's life with their dream. He wonderfully illustrates ones unappreciative attitude towards the life and era they live in in a humorous/witty way . This… More
  A very original and satisfying film. Owen Wilson does a good job and Woody Allen writes a great screenplay that contrasts a person's life with their dream. He wonderfully illustrates ones unappreciative attitude towards the life and era they live in in a humorous/witty way . This is a nice, fulfilling movie.

• Jameson W

  
  I can't really say what I was expecting, but this was completely different than what I thought it would be; it's a good thing, too, because it was unlike anything I have ever seen before. I loved it! It really made me wonder what it would be like to live in another era and… More
  I can't really say what I was expecting, but this was completely different than what I thought it would be; it's a good thing, too, because it was unlike anything I have ever seen before. I loved it! It really made me wonder what it would be like to live in another era and meet all those important historical figures. This was actually my first Woody Allen film, so I can't really say how this stacks up with some of his other films, but it was certainly a very good directorial effort. The cast here, featuring a lot of household names, is perfect; everyone gives fine performances. It's definitely one of my favorite things about the film. The scenery and music is good as well. I also thought the writing was extremely solid. I loved the script, and it's no surprise that it was nominated for an Oscar. Including Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture, Midnight in Paris was nominated for 4 Academy Awards. One of the best films of 2011!

• Kase V

  
  Woody Allen's 'Midnight in Paris' is a delightfully entertaining film. Not only did the cinematography capture the city of Paris and flaunt its beauty, but Allen's script was one of the best of the year. Yet my favorite aspect of the film was the acting. The film… More
  Woody Allen's 'Midnight in Paris' is a delightfully entertaining film. Not only did the cinematography capture the city of Paris and flaunt its beauty, but Allen's script was one of the best of the year. Yet my favorite aspect of the film was the acting. The film was more than an observation of a modern relationship, its an observation of our relationships with the past and the people who populate it. Corey Stoll reenacted Hemingway's brilliant brooding, Tom Hiddlestone captured the indelible charm of Fitzgerald, and Adrian Brody completely exulted Dali's...stangeness. All these exciting characters melted together to form one of the most entertaining movies of the year.

• Thomas B

  
  Funny, beautiful and clever. Classic Allen. Full review later.

• Cynthia S

  
  Clever, funny, and beautifully shot. You wouldn't know this is a Woody Allen movie, except for the credits in the beginning. It is such a great idea. The main character, Owen Wilson, gets to go back in time every night at midnight to 1920's Paris--meeting all the famous… More
  Clever, funny, and beautifully shot. You wouldn't know this is a Woody Allen movie, except for the credits in the beginning. It is such a great idea. The main character, Owen Wilson, gets to go back in time every night at midnight to 1920's Paris--meeting all the famous writers, painters, etc. from that era...all of whom are people that he admires. Wonderfully done..

• Ken S

  
  My favorite Woody Allen film since Crimes and Misdemeanors.

• Lewis C

  
  "And actually, Paris is the most beautiful in the rain." Probably the most charming and fanciful Woody Allen movies that I've seen, and also one of the most enjoyable. Owen Wilson is great as a proxy Allen, transported back to the streets of 1920's Paris and… More
  "And actually, Paris is the most beautiful in the rain." Probably the most charming and fanciful Woody Allen movies that I've seen, and also one of the most enjoyable. Owen Wilson is great as a proxy Allen, transported back to the streets of 1920's Paris and looking for his "Golden Age" amongst the famous writers and artists that wafted through the city at that time. I really don't have any criticisms about the movie. The script is trademark Woody Allen, full of musings about life and happiness, but it's more subtle and natural than his dialogue can often be. The cast is great (Corey Stoll as Earnest Hemingway and Adrien Brody as Salavador Dali being two of the most memorable examples), and Paris looks so beautiful that it often can distract from what's going on with the characters. Fully recommended for Woody fans, Wilson fans, romantics at heart, and those who love Paris (both past and present).

• Stella D

  
  très charmant blah blah. enjoyed the premise (a variation on the much better purple rose of cairo). i like owen wilson but even i was getting a little sick of him here. fiancée and her family were stereotypes and about half the jokes fell flat. still i have to admit i mostly enjoyed… More
  très charmant blah blah. enjoyed the premise (a variation on the much better purple rose of cairo). i like owen wilson but even i was getting a little sick of him here. fiancée and her family were stereotypes and about half the jokes fell flat. still i have to admit i mostly enjoyed it. could've used more of brody's dalí character; he was my favorite of the historical figures. it is indeed the best new allen film i have seen in quite a few years but the very calculated effort to recapture some of the old magic feels a little forced. still nice try, woody

• Chris W

  
  This is Woody Allen's love letter to Paris, and not only that, but it is also his absolute best film in quite a long time. Sure, I gave very high marks to Match Point, but this comes closer than that to being a full 5 masterpiece. The story concerns a successful Hollywood… More
  This is Woody Allen's love letter to Paris, and not only that, but it is also his absolute best film in quite a long time. Sure, I gave very high marks to Match Point, but this comes closer than that to being a full 5 masterpiece. The story concerns a successful Hollywood screenwriter named Gil and his fiancee Inez on vacation in Paris with her parents. While there, Gil tries to work on a novel and do something more substantial with his life than just be a Hollywood hack. Through magical circumstances, he finds himself transported through a time slip at midnight to Paris during the 1920s, wherein he finds himself hanging out with his idols like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Pablo Picasso. Inez, her friends, and her family all think he's nuts, but this just might be the best thing that's ever happened to Gil, and could very well be the spark he'd been searching for to make his life complete. This is utterly andcompletely, Allen, charming, nostalgic, and fun. It's impossible to watch this and not feel moved, delighted, and overwhelmed with happiness. It's all laid on pretty thick, but it never comes off as sentimental or sickly sweet in a bad way. It's light and fun, and easy to fall in love with. It's got some typical Allen-isms, but the situation it presents is well done, creative, and fun. Allen's not known for having much visual flair or pizzaz with his work, but this film has some excellent cinematography and definitely applies as a visual work of art. The city looks excellent, and the 20s scenes really come alive thanks to his touch. Owen WIlson does nice work as the happily perplexed Gil, doing the Woody role without coming off as a ripoff. Rachel McAdams is fine as Inez, but seems ot get overshadowed. Then again, it's kinda is approproate given the plot. The real stars though are the supporting players, namely Marion COtillard as Picasso's mistress, Kathy Bates as Gertrude Stein, and Allison Pill as Zelda Fitzgerald. The others are good, but sometimes come off as more caricature and phoney. I really don't have a whole lot of negatives. Yes, I did mention how some of the performances stick out, but that's nota complete dealbreaker. The film had me guessing about how it would end, and I was partially right, but that also isn't a complete detriment to things. I think my biggest gripe is that the film had to end. Give this one a shot. It helps if you're already a Woody fan, as that makes it easier to get into, but you don't have to be a fan to fall in love.

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