If I could live anywhere, it would be a night in Paris in the 1920s. I have to agree with Gil. Midnight in Paris is a beautiful well-made film.

Rating: 8/10 (1 December 2014)

Set in Paris, the film follows Gil Pender (Owen Wilson), a screenwriter, whom is vacationing with his materialistic fiancée, Inez (Rachel McDonald) and her wealthy, conservative parents. Gil is struggling with writer's block, trying to finish his first novel, about a man who works in a nostalgia shop in 1920s Paris. It doesn't help that Inez and her family continue to dismiss his ambition as a romantic daydream and encourages him to stick with the more lucrative screen writing. One night, as Gil was taking a walk, he found himself transported to 1920s Paris. It's there, he finds himself exploring and questioning his nostalgia and modernism beliefs, forcing him to make a decision: should he go back to his own time, or stay in theirs. Directed by Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris seemingly struck a chord with audiences. It's one of the few movies, beside 1977's Anne Hall that I honestly like from him. Midnight in Paris is a story about learning to live with the past. Gil obsesses over the past and its artifacts, and his unhealthy obsession continue to make his present life, a bit dissatisfaction. It wasn't until he got to see the past for what it is, that he knew he was dreaming a 'Golden Age' Fallacy. The movie does expose the dark truths behind the belief of the 'Good Old Days' and that's the best thing about it. The main actors were all pretty good. Owen Wilson was pretty much playing Woody Allen. As is customary with Woody Allen films, main character Gil is a stand-in for Woody Allen, from the tucked-in shirts Gil wears to the nervous way Gil talks. Owen Wilson, at first, I couldn't see him as the actor that could able to adapt a fitting characterization to match the films tone, but I was taken aback by his performance. It was alright, but really no big stretch, here. Both, Allen & Wilson mumbled and speak as if they are being tickle. It's not the best out there, but alright for his role, even if it's a bit annoying. Another problem with the film is Marion Cotillard's thick French accent. I can't understand a lot of things, she's saying. I thought, it would be better if she spoke in French throughout the whole film and don't bother with English. Just add sub-titles. It would make the film, more realistic. Still, it was hard to believe that everybody that Gill meets in the past, besides Marion Cotillard's character, Adrianna is famous. Still, it was very nice to see the countless amounts of famous historic real life supporting characters, playing cameos throughout the film. You got singer, Cole Porter, artist, Pablo Picasso, author, T. S. Eliot, dancer, Josephine Baker, film maker, Jean Conteau, artist, Man Ray, bull fighter Juan Belmonte, and others. Some of the key character to look out for, are absurdly intense author, Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll), straight forward writer counsel, Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates), crazy artist, Salvador Dali (Adrien Brody), and the dysfunctional couple of Zelda & F. Scott Fitzgerald (Alison Pil & Tom Huddleston). They all play big parts in the plot. It's really hard to believe that all those legends really did converge on Paris around nearly the same time. If they did, I really doubt they all hang out, together in nearly the same places. There were a few historical inaccurates and plot-lines, but I can't blame Allen. This movie is pure fantasy, after all, and doesn't make any claims toward historical accuracy. Surprising, most historical elements were in fact accurate rather than exaggerated. It's fair to say, that this surrealism movie is a love letter to Paris. The film paints it, like every tourist wants it to be: romantic. The city was beautiful shot. If the place wasn't romantic, enough. This film will kinda overdo it. It really feels, a bit too gimmicky, buffeting you with every tourist site, the production can get their hands on. It's paint Paris in a good light, rather than showing you, any of the bad things about the city. The writing is pretty clever, and funny. It's perfectly paced, hits all the right notes. Glad, Woody Allen won Best Original Screenplay for that year. The music score was spectacular to listen to. The main theme "Parlez-Moi d'Amour" (Speak to Me of Love) work so well. It was written by Jean Lenoir and first made famous by Lucienne Boyer in 1930. This must be one of Woody's favorite songs, because he includes it in the 20's scenes notwithstanding that it hadn't yet been written. One song that would be funny to add is original lyrics to "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)", by Cole Porter, but I guess that would be too racist. Overall: The movie is very funny, romantic and whimsical. If you love Paris, art or history, you have to see this film.