Strengths and weaknesses

Rating: 7/10 (12 July 2011)

Midnight in Paris (2011) was written and directed by Woody Allen. The bad news about this movie is that the "real" plot is ridiculous. We are supposed to believe that Gil (played by Owen Wilson) would want to marry Inez (Rachel McAdams) despite the fact that Inez is spoiled, selfish, immature, and comes as part of a package that includes her unpleasant parents and obnoxious friends. Yes, Inez is attractive, but as a successful screenwriter, surely Gil could find other attractive women with whom he'd be more compatible.
The other part of the "real" plot that doesn't compute is that Gil, a handsome, strapping, Californian, would be channeling Woody Allen's nebbish character. When Gil whines, "That's crazy," in Allen's singsong voice, I just wanted to wince.
The good news is that the "fantasy" part of the plot is great. Allen knows how to present cities to us in the best possible light (in both senses). Paris looks wonderful, the people in it look wonderful, and the "conceit" of going back in time worked for me.
So, I recommend that you see this movie, ignore the "real" plot, and concentrate on Paris in an earlier era. As with most Woody Allen movies, this film will work on a small screen.