If you're a nostalgic person, this is the movie for you. This time Owen Wilson, playing Woody Allen's own neurotic fast-talking wise-cracking persona, dreams of living in the 1920s Paris, and (without spoiling anything) suddenly finds himself experiencing how it feels to have lived during those times - with his fiancee and in-laws' absolute lack of empathy making the story ever more charming. The resolution provided for the nostalgia is especially satisfying: It may be your ideal dream, but to keep the dream alive, keep a safe distance. One of Allen's best.
PS #1: Again, Michael Sheen's presence is the stamp of approval for a good movie.
PS #2: Watch for Carla Bruni, French President Sarkozy's wife, as the Rodin garden tour guide.
Mo says:
To tell the truth ,I’m not fan of daydream movies or some sort of plots that either you know it’s a dream or is saying at the end : wake up , it was a dream...then till the end I was hoping that it was not a dream and it will reveal that there is a game or acting or shooting another movie or something else, then when I got a little disappointed I knew I love the realistic movies of Allen more than this one ! ..however this point that Woody wanted to show us that for finding a good writer we must go to daydream or making fantasy, sounds interesting ,besides the other elements of his works that I love very much and you named in your note, obviously exist in here too . Thanks for both PS. I couldn't recognize them!
ReplyDeleteSpoiler Alert!
ReplyDeleteI believe the solution Allen provides to deal with the concept of nostalgia is incredible. Anything nostalgic has value ... only because we're away from it. While whenever we're placed into the situation we feel nostalgia for, we realize that situation wasn't anything special in the first place. Nostalgia gets it power from its inaccessibility.
When Owen Wilson goes back in time, Hemingway tells him about the utter lack of talent in art and literature during his time, while some of the greatest artists and writers are living around him! That makes Hemingway nostalgic for the 1920s. So when Wilson goes back to the 1920s, he sees the same vicious cycle of nostalgia again. Allen offers great allegories to make his point.