Midnight in Paris | Teen Ink

Midnight in Paris MAG

March 14, 2013
By Mckay ELITE, Somewhere, Virginia
Mckay ELITE, Somewhere, Virginia
146 articles 0 photos 2230 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."
—Apple’s “Think Different” commercial, 1997
“Crazy people are considered mad by the rest of the society only because their intelligence isn't understood.”
― Weihui Zhou


Woody Allen is an ­astounding 23-time Academy Award–nominated ­director, screenwriter, and actor. In my opinion, his best work is “Midnight in Paris” (next to “Annie Hall”). A romantic-comedy-fantasy set in the magical City of Lights, Paris, the film has a star-studded cast that includes Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Marion Cotillard, Alison Pill, Tom Hiddleston, Michael Sheen, and Carla Bruni.

Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) is a Hollywood screenwriter and aspiring novelist vacationing in Paris with his fiancée, Inez (Rachel McAdams). Unlike Inez, Gil is enchanted by the city – so much so that he proposes that they move there, rather than to Malibu, as Inez wants. He longs to fulfill his dream to be a novelist like his idols, Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, but Inez dissuades him from this dream.

Drunk one night, Gil wanders the streets alone. Everything seems ordinary – until the clock strikes midnight. Paris suddenly comes alive with all the celebrities of Gil's favorite era, the 1920s, and he meets all his idols. Soon, Gil realizes that he is neither dreaming nor suffering the effects of alcohol; the 1920s are truly alive each night. When one night he meets Picasso's mistress, Adriana (Marion Cotillard), he is instantly drawn to her beauty and her interest in his novel, which Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates) is critiquing for him. Gil falls helplessly in love with Adriana, who, like him, is nostalgic – but for the Belle Epoque era.

Every scene in this film is gorgeous, from the opening at the pond – which resembles (as Gil points out) a Monet painting – 'til the last. Each demonstrates beautiful cinematography. The dialogue is witty, especially Hemingway's nonsensical talk of courage and Salvador Dalí's whimsical conversation about rhinos. The music is wonderful too, especially Cole Porter's “Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love),” which was stuck in my head for weeks. Additionally, the cast performed well. Alison Pill as Zelda Fitzgerald and Adrien Brody as Dalí were, for me, scene-stealers.

I found “Midnight in Paris” clever, witty, and original, although the night-time coming to life did resemble “Night at the Museum.” However, “Midnight in Paris” is a far better film. It is absolutely one of my favorites set in Paris.

The film received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Art Direction, and Best Original Screenplay (which it won). You will fall in love with this film and the city of Paris. C'est un film magnifique à regarder.


The author's comments:
Hope you watch the film after reading this review and love it as much as i do.

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This article has 5 comments.


on Jan. 30 2014 at 12:03 pm
SaphiraBrightscales DIAMOND, Islamabad, Other
75 articles 16 photos 1136 comments

Favorite Quote:
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
- Maya Angelou
When i was little/I used to point a chubby finger toward the dark sky/And ask my father/why some stars moved and others didn’t/He would laugh and explain that some were airplanes/I still wish on them today ~ Laugh-It-Out
The feathers of a crow are black/The ink of my pen is blacker/The pain of my heart is blackest~ Mckay
If love produced a blossom/I’d take it in my palm/What a blessing, the bright color!/How soothing, such a balm!/I’d keep a petal for my own/The rest, drop from my hands/For such a flower would multiply/And populate the lands~ thesilentraven
And I began to rival legends/Long entombed before my birth./But for all my much envied fame/The lust for more would not abate./The plaques and prizes with my name/Will, like all things, disintegrate. ~ TheEpic95 now known as Helena_Noel

Hey I just had an idea for a Haiku! THANKS SO much. You made me think of it. and now I'm going to write YAY  

on Jan. 30 2014 at 12:01 pm
SaphiraBrightscales DIAMOND, Islamabad, Other
75 articles 16 photos 1136 comments

Favorite Quote:
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
- Maya Angelou
When i was little/I used to point a chubby finger toward the dark sky/And ask my father/why some stars moved and others didn’t/He would laugh and explain that some were airplanes/I still wish on them today ~ Laugh-It-Out
The feathers of a crow are black/The ink of my pen is blacker/The pain of my heart is blackest~ Mckay
If love produced a blossom/I’d take it in my palm/What a blessing, the bright color!/How soothing, such a balm!/I’d keep a petal for my own/The rest, drop from my hands/For such a flower would multiply/And populate the lands~ thesilentraven
And I began to rival legends/Long entombed before my birth./But for all my much envied fame/The lust for more would not abate./The plaques and prizes with my name/Will, like all things, disintegrate. ~ TheEpic95 now known as Helena_Noel

And this here just absolutely, utterly caught my eye in my email. I WAS LIKE YES YES YES. This is one movie every write/reader MUST watch. I loved it when I first watched. When I downloaded it first I thought it was one typical love story I was watching to lighten up the mood and then it turned out to be so much more. Also Paris is portrayed with such beauty that I am completely satisfied. I mean mostly it being called the City Of Love is okay, but really it is ALSO the city of art, literature, lights and beauty :D And well, to me it seems that anything or anyone in this world that we see, we see through the eyes of those who make the introduction. If the introducing person introduces with love and kindness we see the thing so and so it was with Paris in the movie. He loves the city and sees it so beautifully that ANY person that watches the movie would also see it just as beautifully. Anyway don't let me get too carried away. This email also shouted out to me because you got pubished and because it was an article by MCKAY after a long time. I love it. In every way it is spot on and makes on love the movie even more. If I hadn't already watched it I would definitely go. But hey, I'll watch it again now ;) Love, Dua.

Mckay ELITE said...
on Jul. 31 2013 at 2:37 pm
Mckay ELITE, Somewhere, Virginia
146 articles 0 photos 2230 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."
—Apple’s “Think Different” commercial, 1997
“Crazy people are considered mad by the rest of the society only because their intelligence isn't understood.”
― Weihui Zhou

By the way, if you haven't watched this movie. GO WATCH IT! All writers must watch this movie. 

Mckay ELITE said...
on Jul. 31 2013 at 2:35 pm
Mckay ELITE, Somewhere, Virginia
146 articles 0 photos 2230 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."
—Apple’s “Think Different” commercial, 1997
“Crazy people are considered mad by the rest of the society only because their intelligence isn't understood.”
― Weihui Zhou

Thank you. I feel honored by your comment. My advice just watch many many many films and movies (not all movies are films.) Pay attention to small things really. The dialogue mainly. The scenery sometimes is important to notice—mainly with movies that make a fuss of the scenery. The acting is primarily important. If the acting is filth, the movie will completely suck. I'm happy to hear that you will soon be critiquing movies. I want to do more; but lately I've been so budy just writing poetry that I haven't verntured to do more. You've inspired me to continue this course. Thank you. 

on Jul. 30 2013 at 6:24 pm
ChrisJ PLATINUM, Rochester, New York
24 articles 15 photos 289 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”
- Martin Luther King Jr.

Ah, the beautiful lights of Paris............. Love the review, very intelligent, well-written, and informative (even though I didn't understand the last sentence), but still, great job! I am currently working on a few film reviews of my own, any tips?