Midnight in Paris (2011)
What if you could go back in time and meet your literary heroes?
Presentation:
If you love literature, or pretend to, this surface level literary fantasy is the perfect popcorn book club. Woody Allen films all have their own nuance and style, but this film might have one of the most lingering aftertastes. Going back in time to the renaissance and beyond, Owen Wilson plays an unpretentious dreamer that allows audience members to stand in his place. The film successfully romanticizes the past with some of the greats in literature art and philosophy. Youâll loathe returning to the ugly present, craving nostalgia for a time and place one has never known. Hell yes, I want to get a beer with Ernest Hemingway!
Conclusion:
For some reason, this film speaks a lot to me. It is one of my favorite romance movies, but thats perhaps because it is more a love story for the past. We sometimes love the idea of something rather than the thing itself, and this film perfectly encapsulates that. Some of the characterizations can be superficial like Dali and Luis Buñuel, but unless youâre a stickler for historical accuracy, you shouldnât have a problem enjoying this stroll down nostalgia lane.
Recommendations
Level 0 of the liminal basement.