Midnight in Paris

Rating: 4.75/5

Midnight in Paris is a wonderfully inventive film that is truly unlike any other.

Gil (Owen Wilson) and his fiancee Inez (Rachel McAdams) are vacationing in Paris while visiting Inez's father who's there on business. While walking through the city, Gil expresses to Inez his thoughts that the best time period in history was the 1920's in Paris. Not only does Inez disagree, but appears disinterested as well and the two go off to look at some modern sights.

One night, when Inez goes dancing with Paul (Michael Sheen), a former friend she happened to bump into, Gil decides to take stroll around the city. Being a foreigner and slightly tipsy, he gets lost and is picked up by a car that appears to be from another time. When Gil gets in, he is taken to a party where everyone is dressed in period clothing from the 20's. At first Gil thinks it is just a theme party, that is until he is introduced to Zelda (Allison Pill) and F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston). Though he has no idea how, Gil quickly realizes that he has found a portal to the past, and proceeds to visit his ideal time and meet many of his creative minded heroes.

Midnight in Paris boasts and exceptional concept that is brilliantly carried out. It is a movie directed by an American that doesn't necessarily shine the cliche modern American in the most flattering light, but it is done with a clear purpose. By portraying stereotypical Americans as culture deprived narcissists, it makes the fantasy time-jump of Gil's seem more romantic and enchanting than it possibly could have. You are completely on board with Gil wanting to escape the constraints of modern society, and almost take a sigh of relief when Gil gets to go back to the seemingly carefree life of the 20s.

Midnight in Paris is a who's who of phenomenal actors. It is a movie where I actually didn't want to look at any credits, photographs, or trailers beforehand, because I wanted to be surprised whenever Gil met a 20's icon. Due to the movie's strong historical and intellectual base, I'm sure there were a few cultural references or figures that went passed me, but I know I recognized the vast majority of them. The many different actors who comprised the cast did an incredible job at bringing these historical legends to life and pulled you into the past right alongside Gil.

Of all the people in the film, Owen Wilson's character may have been the hardest to portray. His performance could have easily been overshadowed by the audience's desire to meet the characters from the 20's, but Wilson is able to make Gil just about as compelling as the people he meets. You'd think it would get old to see someone being constantly dumbfounded by their unusual circumstance, and in many movies it would, but somehow in Midnight in Paris, it doesn't. By being utterly shocked and confused at being in another era, Wilson makes a movie about time travel seem unexpectedly real.

Midnight in Paris is a movie that I have been meaning to watch for years. I had initially put off watching it because I am not usually the biggest Woody Allen or Owen Wilson fan, but I am thankful I finally got around to seeing it. Though I felt that it seemed too short and could have definitely gone on a bit longer, Midnight in Paris falls into the collection of the handful of movies that have caught me by surprise with how much I enjoyed it.

2011 Winner Best Original Screenplay- Woody Allen