Not all who wander are lost. In Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, Gil (Owen Wilson, pictured with co-star Marion Cotillard), a Hollywood screenwriter, seems to be living the American Dream. He's about to start a family with his gorgeous fiancee, Inez (Rachel McAdams), and he's at the peak of his career.
Yet he isn't happy. He longs to be more than the corporate monkey, chained to his desk and churning out script after script.
Before getting married, Gil makes a trip to Paris with Inez and her parents. Having finished another manuscript, he is determined to add some Parisian flair to it. In a mysterious turn of events, Gil gets to rub shoulders with some of his literary idols and falls for a woman from the past.
With many references to the 1920s, the film weighs the allure of the past against happiness in the present. Gil always believed his life would be perfect in another era; Paris teaches him it's usually better to take life as it is.
Midnight in Paris is Allen's 41st film and is an exquisite mix of perfectly executed dialogue, wit and montages of Parisian boulevards and sights. Watching this film is like strolling along the Champs-Elysees and relaxing with friends in a cafe overlooking the River Seine. Time doesn't stand still, but moves at a leisurely pace so we can appreciate all Paris has to offer.