Nostalgia questioned and Paris showcased at its loveliest

Rating: 8/10 (24 August 2014)

Midnight in Paris does a great job of capturing the city at its best, and via the story of an engaged couple's adventures in Paris, takes a hard look at people's longing for an idealised past. Gil is an aspiring novelist who wants to ditch his job as a Hollywood scriptwriter and move to Paris. His fiancé Inez is the typical upper-middle class American tourist and of a far more practical bent. Everyday at midnight, Gil is transported back in time to 1920s Paris where he meets various literary and artistic greats (the Fitzgeralds, Hemingway, Picasso etc) who were living in the city at the time. He at first tries to bring Inez into this other world with him, but she is caught up with other pursuits.
The cinematography was fantastic and showcased Paris at its loveliest (sans litter and crime and bad smells). The opening scenes showed many of the city's iconic spots, and served as a sort of explanation of Gil's great love for Paris that we later discover. There was no reason given for his travelling back in time, but somehow, it just wasn't needed. I love how Woody Allen used this same device to show how people romanticise the past, not realising that the present is actually pretty great. While in the 1920s, Gil, who sees that period as Paris's best, meets Adrianna, who longs for the Belle Epoque of the 1890s. And transported into that era briefly, they meet the men of that time who idealise the Renaissance. Beyond the message on nostalgia, I also liked how the film portrayed one of the (oft-neglected) possible effects of travel on romantic relationships - it can bring to light the differences between people that would, in a familiar environment, be hidden.
I wouldn't say that this is a must-watch movie, but I think anyone who's into culture or has visited Paris will enjoy this.