A solid enchanting drama that will entertain and make you smile

Rating: Null/10 (7 August 2011)

If you're a movie connoisseur and you want to read the review about camera angles and the brilliance of Woody Allen this won't be the review for you. I have seen two...maybe three Woody Allen films and I have enjoyed them but I have yet to become an Allen fan so to speak. Midnight In Paris is a unique and interesting film that blends dark humour, drama, romance with...time travel...yah no kidding! The film, as far as I am concerned has only one glaring flaw and I'll get to that in a few moments. I went into the film not really knowing what to expect given I had only seen a trailer or two which doesn't show much. I think I felt a connection to the main character, although I'm not a professional writer, I understood some of his eccentricities about writing and inspiration so I think perhaps Allen might have worked some of his own personality into the character. The setting of Paris is of course beautiful and instead of just focusing on the typical Paris you get to see more of the back streets and of course the nightlife. The story moves at a brisk pace, especially for a dramedy never leaving you bored or wondering when things will pick up.
I mentioned before that the film had one glaring error and that error is the lead, Owen Wilson. I don't dislike Wilson, he's had some good movies always playing the weird quirky stammering male lead but in this film he just does not fit. He just isn't believable when he's trying to be serious. His stammering and weird talking just botches up the feel of the film. He drags it down when the film could have been a nine or even a ten if a strong male lead had been chosen. The always lovely Rachel McAdams plays the headstrong and perhaps overbearing rich girl that Wilson is engaged to. She becomes more oppressive to Wilson throughout the course of the film. McAdams always has a lot of screen presence but her character is very unlikable by the end of it which is unfortunate. The chemistry between her and Wilson is nearing a joke which helps with their inevitable break up. Amazing character actors Kurt Fuller, and Mimi Kennedy are McAdams' parents and although they don't get a lot of screen time, they are truly terrific. This film lives and breathes the supporting cast. Tom Hiddleston, Corey Stoll, Alison Pill (brilliant! in her role), and of course the incomparable Kathy Bates are part of the stand out supporting characters you should watch for. They just make this film great!
There is no doubt Woody Allen knows quirky better than anyone else but I sat in the theatre when it was over and thought...wow he just made a quirky dramedy with a touch of the supernatural and made time travel artsy and isn't that impressive? I thought the ending of the film was a little cut and dry and perhaps a little predictable but it definitely tied up all the loose ends. There is zero doubt in Allen's ability to write interesting characters and draw you into the story. I think the only downfall is that you find yourself wanting to know more, and see more from characters who are only secondary. Anyone wanting a solid drama, something light and breezy but fun to watch and unique you will love Midnight In Paris. As I said before I have only seen a couple of Allen's films but so far I can see why he has had a career spanning decades and is known for his style. 8/10