Midnight In Paris

It’s late in the year and reviewing film after film can sometimes be a bit of a chore, so I sing the praises of Woody Allen for his latest film Midnight In Paris. Praise him in the sense that he’s awoken me from a stupor and got my reviewing blood up with a film which is so outrageously pretentious that it caused me physical pain when watching it due to the amount if times I was wincing and exhaling breath during its running time. Firstly, the premise, in which Allen’s tour of Europe continues with his entourage now alighting in Paris to tell the story of engaged couple Gil (Owen Wilson) and Inez (Rachel McAdams) who are holidaying in said city with her parents whilst Hollywood screenplay writer Gil attempts to finish his first novel. However, one midnight stroll on his own finds Gil transported to 1920’s Paris where he meets plenty of famous artists, musicians and writers from that time. Going backwards and forwards between past and present Gil eventually learns that his missus is horrible and that he needs to split up with her in order to fulfil his literary dreams and meet someone who really appreciates him. Major problem here though as within the first 5 minutes of the film you see that Gil is a spineless wonder and Inez is hugely unlikable and they shouldn’t be together. So why then the time-travel charade in order to spell it out to the audience? The obvious answer is that the characters need to find out for themselves, but as they’re so unlikable in the first place why on earth would the casual viewer even care? Having a key historical figure turn up every five minutes when Gil is in the 1920’s is neither smart nor funny and the moment Adrian Brody appears as Salvador Dali (complete with cringe-worthy accent and mannerisms) has to be one of the lowest points of Allen’s career. Having Paris as the backdrop can sometimes gloss over some cracks in a film, but not a chance here. You can enjoy some great shots of Parisian streets and landmarks during the film but which director of only average ability (actually, which person) can’t come up with the same thing themselves? Throw in Allen’s continued use of the same cheap looking titles for each film (yes, Woody, we get the point now) and one of the most annoying soundtracks I’ve ever heard, this continually finds itself in the merde. Don’t even get me started on the risible ending which was so obvious and trite that I actually booed out loud for the first ever time watching a film in the cinema. Hmm, perhaps I should get an invite to Cannes next year? However, I must be in the wrong as it appears the film has got widespread critical acclaim from everyone else. Maybe I’ve walked into an alternate universe myself?

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict

The most unlovable film about The City Of Love ever filmed. Rating: 2/10.