Julie Delpy wrote, directed and starred in “2 Days in Paris”, a whirlwind of disorientating shots from a short stopover in Paris, visiting her family and friends with her American boyfriend.
Well, that’s the story Delpy plays Marion, a photographer, and Adam Goldberg is Jack, her American boyfriend with a Woody like New York personality. They go on a trip to Italy for a romantic vacation, but it falls short. Before returning to New York, they stay in Paris for 2 days, which prove to be an enormous strain on their relationship.
“2 Days in Paris” was shown at the Starlight Cinemas at North Sydney oval, a wonderful outdoor environment to watch a great selection of films.
Delpy is a unique French artist, creating a unique vision with “2 Days in Paris” not only does she ignore the oft-filmed locations of Paris, choosing, instead, to focus on small streets and dirty buildings, but she takes a vicious stab at her countrymen.
It’s this self deprecation which makes the movie so endearing Jack is not a good traveller, a whiny, irritating, weak willed americain, but he looks positively normal compared to the eccentricities of the French.
Delpy reveals an over sexualized culture, almost grotesque in nature, and she picks on the prejudices of the French, skewering the taxi drivers and the French men.
I found it tremendously entertaining, rolling on the picnic blanket, laughing. Instead of relying on obvious punchlines and silly slapstick, the script is genuinely hilarious, with acid wit and mockery taking their rightful places as king and queen.
Jack questions Delpy about a blowjob that she gave to a friend of hers, and she replies that, in context of the problems of the world, a blowjob isn’t so serious.
“2 Days in Paris” looks like a movie that is destined to be labelled a ‘chick flick’, a term that I hate to use, but the movie proves itself to be much more. It’s inevitably compared to Richard Linklater’s “Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset”, movies that starred Delpy, the latter which she helped to write.
Unlike those movies, which touched on relationships, Delpy dives headfirst into much darker territory, using self-introspection to analyze her destructive tendencies when it came to love. A movie set in Paris would usually end with lovers holding hands, eating a tiny cafe with views of the Eiffel Tower, but that predictability is not for this film.
Instead, we’re taken to a deeply contemplative place in Delpy’s mind, where the entire purpose of her life is examined. Strong, strong sentiments, buried deep in a tremendously funny screenplay it’s a unique film, unexpected and moving.
Thanks to Catriona at Starlight Cinemas for the guest passes to see “2 Days in Paris”. It’s a fantastic experience watching movies after sunset, and North Sydney oval is a beautiful location. Highly recommended!
I say: The name and the trailer suggest easy-to-digest rom-com, but that’s not what’s in store. I found it highly enjoyable, but a friend of mine, that attended, did not like it one bit.
See it for: Adam Goldberg is a riot in this movie, bordering on insane but Delpy’s real life parents appear in the movie as Marion’s parents, and that’s a fine touch.
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