Review of Midnight in Paris (2011) by Omar K — 30 Nov 2015

â??â??Out Of The Past' was the name of the store, and its products consisted of memories: what was prosaic and even vulgar to one generation had been transmuted by the mere passing of years to a status at once magical and also camp.â??

And in a nutshell, nostalgia is made palpable as a sensation worth seeking for. Gil Pender, the author of whose first novel these lines reside, is a big-buck Hollywood screenwriter who yearns to prove himself as a talented author, and in trying to do so finds inspiration from the great writers of the past, a time in which he also wants to return to due to his love of the 1920s. And hold your horses because this wish has come true for Gil, as he becomes intertwined in a fantasy love story that can only come to fruition on some steps at midnight. A return to the 1920s is something Back To The Future could accomplish, or Hot Tub Time Machine, but not Midnight In Paris surely you must be thinking, but director Woody Allenâ??s decision to never explain this fantasy elevates the film because its return to the past is nostalgic entertainment that, as Pender puts it, is enjoyable for our generation, and that satisfaction doesnâ??t need to be explained. Yes, Gil might be insane, but if the surrealists of the 1920s believe he is a time traveller, there must be nothing strange right? And of that period of excessive hedonism and debauchery typified by the great artists of the early 20th century, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Luis Buñuel, Man Ray, Gertrude Stein and more are revived. So why Paris? Well, there was a time when these artistic innovators all inhabited the streets of Paris, and by the look of the opening shots of seemingly every street and plaza in Paris, Allen is trying to get us in on the allure of such a timeless city that attracted such significant artists and inspire us like they were. Iâ??ve got to say I was enthused, for these performances and the script that crafted them for the big screen are just too unique to not relish and become nostalgically swayed. Comedic actor Owen Wilsonâ??s light-heartedness brings believability to the situation heâ??s in, never overdoing the fantasy, but making it feel real. He embraces each moment with a performance so natural and everyday, the factual history of the film is given a righteous restoration. And of his colleagues, rude Rachel McAdams recaptures her Mean Girls form, Corey Stoll is simply a poetic loose canon as Hemingway, Marion Cotillard graciously drops into history and Adrien Brody is unassumingly barmy as surrealist Salvador Dalí. In the end, seeing as Pender loves the 1920s, McAdamsâ?? Inez the materialistic modern day, and Cotillardâ??s Adriana the 1890s, the revelation that the artists of La Belle Ã?poque choose the Renaissance to be the greatest period shows that you canâ??t be stuck in the past, living in the present is the way to enjoy life and thrive. Thatâ??s the message of Midnight In Paris, and it is a pretty weak one to be holding such a rich film together, but it is undeniably lovely. With Midnight In Paris, you either love it or completely not understand it, but never hate it because you can see the levels of uniqueness it delves into as well as the sweet bliss of its execution. It is a rare film that should be given the time of day by everyone, but so few shall, and those few are lucky enough to sample Woody Allen at his storytelling best.

The Verdict:

Absolutely beautifully written and elevated by some fine work from Owen Wilson, Midnight In Parisâ?? harking back to the past for inspiration raises nostalgia levels to the roof and finds Woody Allen doing what he does best.

â??â??â??â??â??â??â??â??â??â?? 10/10.