Steve Reviews Midnight in Paris

2011 marks 45 years that Woody Allen has been making films. His biggest commercial success came in 1979 with the popular, black and white drama: Manhattan. Although he had a Best Picture winner two years prior in Annie Hall, Manhattan remained his highest grossing film. Until now.

Midnight in Paris is a wonderful little film about an aspiring writer, played by Owen Wilson, who longs to live in the golden age of yesteryear. While vacationing in the “City Of Lights,” he finds himself in the most unusual of situations. As the bell tolls midnight, Wilson’s character is transported back in time to the 1920’s, where he finds himself befriending his literary idols and second-guessing his current state of affairs.

What made this film interesting was the throwback to a classic Woody style, while maintaining the “modern” Allen touch. He has always had a knack for witty dialogue and unusual circumstances. There’s almost always a character that is a writer, an actor, or a shrink. For the first 35 years, the stories took place in New York City almost exclusively. Woody Allen is New York. Although recently, he’s found himself making films in various European cities. Europe is his new muse.

Paris is successful because Owen Wilson is likable, and the story is fresh. You can only have so many Woody Allen neurotic love affair movies. This one, like The Purple Rose Of Cairo or even Annie Hall, breaks the rules or normality (and not in a silly David Lynch or Stanley Kubrick way). I anticipate it garnering an Original Screenplay nomination for Allen. A Best Picture nom might be pushing it, but judging by the box office receipts, I think the idea needs to be kept alive as a “maybe.”

Midnight in Paris has one thing working against it, though. Woody Allen is a notorious disliker of the Academy. He doesn’t believe in all the hoopla and never shows up to accept his awards. He has won three awards over the years (and been nominated another 21 times), and he just doesn’t go. The Academy continues to nominate him occasionally, but I feel like even if he deserved it, some Academy members would vote against him out of spite.

In 2002, shortly after the awful events of 9/11, the Academy was unsure if it would even have a show. It did, of course, and it tried to uphold the tradition of the Oscar telecast while maintaining a slightly somber tone. A piece was put together about the great city of New York. When host Whoopi Goldberg said that “there’s only one person who can talk about New York,” I held my breath. The curtain opened and out walked Woody Allen – his very first appearance on an Oscar stage. Ever. He received a standing ovation (including in my living room) and he introduced the piece about New York filmmaking , which contained several scenes from his own films.

Will he show up to represent Midnight in Paris this coming February? Nope. But I still think he’ll get invited.

-Steve
5.27.2011