Midnight in Paris

A commercial for Paris. The Paris of dreamers and incorrigible romantics; so the absolute opposite of the real Paris. But so what? Woody manages to intoxicate us with the almost melancholic atmosphere of the “city of love" so much that it gets you wanting to go there... And add to this the outstanding Owen Wilson (who gives a better performance of Woody than Woody himself), the again cute (and again in a completely different way) Marion Cotillard, all the scenes with the big names of surrealism “rhino-Buñuel-Dalí-Man Ray-rhino", the playfulness (that’s right, Allen steals from himself; and so what?) and the overall relaxed atmosphere showing that “we all had a great time" which comes across wonderfully to the viewer. Which doesn’t always necessarily happen. (27.09.2011)

Woody is a magician. As a lover of Paris and an admirer of old times, I got lost somewhere between the opening titles and the first dialogue. Not that I expected anything else after a discreet whisper announcing a little masterpiece, but the dreamy atmosphere, the sexy Marion Cotillard, and Owen Wilson in an image á la young Allen? This is how you take the breath away from devoted fans. Manhattan has an equally fascinating sequel after more than thirty years. (10.10.2011)

Like all Woody Allen films, Midnight in Paris has its own unmistakable charm. I became convinced of this with the initial montage of shots of Paris. Owen Wilson, whom I didn't find too convincing at first, pleasantly surprised me. The interweaving of today with the 1920s is fantastic and I think both eras were captured perfectly. I feel like I've returned from a lovely walk through Paris, which I hadn't experienced in this light before. Nice, 4 stars. (20.02.2012)

I would say no, I'm pretty sure this is my first Woody Allen movie. As a result I didn't know what to expect, but dug what I got and came out with a pretty satisfied and full tummy. Paris, the city I loved, the Lost Generation, and the message that drives the film – it all made for a tasty whole. Plus, Owen wasn't bad, although in some of the crappy parts I'd just rather see someone more... I don't know if "erudite" is the right word. A film full of art and thoughts of the past. Apparently there's nothing like living in the present. (26.02.2012)

Woody Allen is certainly an American, but he has always somewhat defied the idea of a typical American because he belongs to the circle of New York liberals who have always been culturally closer to Europe than to the American South or Midwest. In Europe, his intellectually-oriented work was also more embraced by audiences than in America. Woody makes fun of this in his film Hollywood Ending, where a blind director makes a film that, for understandable reasons, makes no sense, and when the American studio throws it overboard, the film receives recognition at a European film festival and also from European viewers. In the later stage of his career, Woody truly fell in love with Paris, and when he decided to leave his beloved New York, he began creating there. This film is nothing more than a tribute to Paris as a cultural center and a city with an amazing history, and the whole gimmick tries to sell the viewer as many famous figures of European culture that once passed through Paris in the 1920s. He chose this period so he could showcase his favorite musical melodies. Unfortunately, it had to happen one day - my favorite director Woody, to whom I usually give 4 stars, even in the weaker films that I forget about after a few days, managed to reliably entertain me only to the level of three stars this time. I am not surprised by Woody thematically or in the choice of actors, but somehow I didn't enjoy this panoply of characters, and in the first half, I was downright bored. The second half is a bit better, but even the few functioning jokes were not particularly original, and during Allen's overproduction, I remembered them from other films. It is a pleasant film, but I just could not get into it. Overall impression: 45%. (04.05.2014)

The picture has a certain vibration about it and I (it seems I alone of the watching ensemble) enjoyed listening to it. Maybe it was the magic of Paris, pulling me back into the past... I often think that I was born at the wrong moment in time... maybe I have an understanding for the indecisiveness of the main protagonist and his search for (women?) himself. Very well-cast. Wlison’s slightly dumbfounded expression is well-placed, Rachel McAdams is absolutely modern, Marion Cotillard beautifully period and the familiar faces of famous people were fine. And the final “decision"? I think I know what I would have done, but it would be a hard choice. (03.03.2012)

Woody Allen is fantastic at staging dialogue passages that demand a lot from the actors, but when it works out, it's beautiful. The actors for this project were brilliantly chosen and the film is flawless in its formal style. Owen Wilson's Gill is perfect as a torn artist who is smarter in his mind than in spoken words, the superficial characters are detailed and iconic, just like Hermes Birkin, playing a supporting role, and the "golden age characters" are timeless and warming, supported by excellently fitting sets and period music. The outcome is not as cathartic as most of the audience would probably want, but I think Woody is just playing and teasing with the viewer in this case, there was no deeper intention here, Paris is enchanting even in this rendition. Perhaps slightly self-indulgent and unnecessary, but a refined and formally grandiose film that is intelligent enough to be liked. (28.01.2013)

Ein sehr netter Film. Er ist nicht perfekt und er kann sich auch nicht mit dem Film Purple Rose of Cairo messen, welcher eine ähnliche Stimmung hat. Ich habe aber die ganze Zeit gelächelt, wofür der Film Anerkennung verdient. Das Drehbuch von Woody Allen scheint den Zauber von zwei seinen Kurzgeschichten zu vereinen – "A Twenties Memory", in der er beschreibt, was er mit Hemingway, Stein, Picasso, Toklas usw. erlebt hat, und "The Kugelmass Episode“, deren Hauptheld wegen eines Illusionisten seine Frau mit Frau Bovary betrügt. Midnight in Paris ist ein angenehmer Film, mit dem man sich ein bisschen mehr Mühe geben konnte (vor allem wenn es um das Buch geht, welches Gil kauft und in dem er über sich selbst liest). Die Idee der Sehnsucht nach einem Leben in anderen Zeiten und vor allem das Ende sind aber so schön, dass ich fast alle Kritikpunkte vergessen habe. (10.08.2014)

Allen doesn’t disappoint. With considerable help from a traditionally excellent cast, and with his most intelligent script in years, he delivers a brilliant and charming advertisement for magical Paris that trumps almost all of his New York ballads in one fell swoop. Time travel has perhaps never been so tastefully entertaining on film, and there's certainly no other work that will make you want to know everything about all those legendary artists, from Hemingway to filmmaker Buñuel. Wilson is permanently likeable, McAdams unfortunately plays second fiddle, but she’s supplemented with grace by the irresistibly adorable Cotillard. Maybe when I can see the beauty of Paris myself, I’ll give it 5*. (29.11.2015)

Wahrscheinlich wiederhole ich mich, aber Woody Allen ist ein Genie. Midnight in Paris habe ich innerhalb kurzer Zeit das zweite Mal gesehen, und nachdem ich dies getan habe, setzte ich den Film in meine TOP 10. Die perfekte Verflechtung von Gegenwart und Vergangenheit, worum sich viele tschechische und ausländische Künstler bemühen, bestätigt, dass Woody über eine reiche Phantasie und einen ebenso reichen allgemeinen Überblick verfügt, was er auch vom Zuschauer verlangt. Wenn dem Zuschauer die Namen Fitzgerald, Stein oder Bunuel nichts sagen, hat es überhaupt keinen Sinn, diesen Film im Kino anzuschauen. Vor allem aber wird er Träumer und Romantiker berühren, die in vergangene Zeiten zurückkehren und mit Dalí über Nashörner und zerflossene Uhren debattieren, mit Hemingway über den Tod diskutieren oder sich mit Gaugin streiten wollen, ob es in Paris im 19. Jahrhundert oder in der Renaissance besser war. Schließlich gelangen wohl alle zu einem ähnlichen Schluss wie der Protagonist. Woody sprudelt einen Witz nach dem anderen hervor, vor allem aus dem Munde von Owen Wilson, der meiner Meinung nach die beste Darstellung der Figur ist, die normalerweise Woody selbst spielt, mit anderen Worten, er ist der beste "NichtWoody“. Kurzum, Owen Wilson zeigte die beste Leistung seiner Karriere, wofür ihm u. a. die Nominierung für einen Golden Globe gebührt. Von ganzem Herzen gönne ich ihm diesen Preis, genauso wie natürlich Woody für die Regie und vor allem das Drehbuch. Ich werde mich noch lange an den Witz über Kublai Khan oder das Herzausschütten gegenüber den Surrealisten erinnern. Bravo, bravo, bravo! (26.12.2011)

I've noticed that Woody Allen's films tend to be more enjoyable for me when their neurotic author doesn't make an appearance. In this case, Owen Wilson's portrayal of Gil evoked too much of Allen's essence for my liking. The romantic entanglements and the trajectory of relationships in the storyline weren't particularly challenging to decipher. The only thing left was time travel, which didn't do it for me this time around. Personally, I've never felt the desire to visit Paris; perhaps because it's surrounded by France and predominantly inhabited by the French, a combination that doesn't quite resonate with me. And I didn't even know that I could experience guillotining or a plague epidemic there if I chose the right kind of transport at midnight. / Lesson learned: Reminiscing can be nice, but there's a limit. (11.07.2022)

Woody Allen's travels through Europe continue. Apparently, he is moving from west to east, because after the film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," came the movie "Midnight in Paris," and currently, the anthology film "To Rome with Love" is making its way into theaters. Will we also expect Prague? Well, we will see where the director, screenwriter, and still actor will go on vacation and what he will shoot there. However, "Midnight in Paris" is not just the director's whimsy, but at first glance, it is a film that has more to it. Woody Allen pays tribute here to American writers like Fitzgerald and Hemingway, but also to European painters and other artists, such as Dalí, Picasso, Buñuel, Gauguin, and others. There are many more of them in the film. And how did it actually happen when the plot is set in present-day Paris? American writer Gil Pender, played by Owen Wilson, travels to Paris with his fiancée and her parents for business. He has already stayed here before, so he returns to a place he loves. At the same time, he has problems with his latest book because it doesn't sit right with him. However, he is also preparing for a wedding, so he has other concerns as well. But one night, he stays out in Paris past midnight and gets transported back in time. It is there that he meets the great artists and realizes what he is doing wrong and where his life should actually be headed. "Midnight in Paris" is a beautifully dreamy film, a light comedy that fills us with positivity coming from the past. The present is not bad, but we must not forget the past. I have convinced myself that Owen Wilson can bother people in this role - and it won't be the first time. I tolerated him, just like this time with the truly excellent Rachel McAdams. This is a film that is definitely worth recommending. If you admire both written and painted art, you will like it even more. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/08/lode-stud-zoo-marylin-pulnoc-v-parizi.html (24.02.2013)