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Paris, Je T'Aime By Harry Forbes Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- "Paris, Je T'Aime" (First Look) is a kaleidoscopic anthology of 18 vignettes, each directed by a top-name filmmaker, featuring a host of international stars. The stories play out in various neighborhoods in the City of Light, but the result is far from a tourist's view of Paris, except perhaps for the final poignant narrative, "14eme Arrondissement," directed by Alexander Payne featuring Margo Martindale as a lonely mail deliverer from Denver trying vainly to enjoy her dream vacation. Among the highlights are: -- Gurinder Chadha's "Quais de Seine," wherein a young man sitting with his friends and heckling passing women shows compassion to a Muslim girl who falls in front of them. -- Joel and Ethan Coen's "Tuileries," in which a tourist (Steve Buscemi) in a Metro station gets a rude awakening about his rosy view of Parisian lovers. -- Isabel Coixet's "Bastille," where a man (Sergio Castellitto) about to leave his wife learns she has cancer, and instead lovingly tends to her. -- Nobuhiro Suwa's "Place des Victoires," in which a mother (Juliette Binoche), bereft after the death of her young child, is able to connect with him once more through the intercession of a ghostly cowboy (Willem Dafoe). -- Oliver Schmitz's "Place des Fetes" in which an African immigrant lies dying after a stabbing and explains to the disbelieving young nurse caring for him that they have met before. -- Wes Craven's "Pere-Lachaise," in which the relationship of a bickering couple (Emily Mortimer and Rufus Sewell) is salvaged by the intercession of Oscar Wilde's spirit at the author's grave. -- Frederic Auburtin and Gerard Depardieu's "Quartier Latin," concerning an American couple (Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara) who accept the sad fact of their impending divorce. The rest -- some with O. Henry-like plot twists, others so short they seem inconclusive, but all stylish and well acted -- are: Bruno Podalydes' "Montmartre"; Gus Van Sant's "Le Marais"; Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas' "Loin du 16eme"; Christopher Doyle's "Porte de Choisy"; Sylvain Chomet's "Tour Eiffel"; Alfonso Cuaron's "Parc Monceau" with Nick Nolte; Olivier Assayas' "Quartier des Enfants Rouges" with Maggie Gyllenhaal; Richard LaGravenese's "Pigalle" with Bob Hoskins and Fanny Ardant; Vincenzo Natali's "Quartier de la Madeleine" with Elijah Wood; and Tom Tykwer's "Faubourg Saint-Denis" with Natalie Portman. The stories concern love, relationships, racial tension, loneliness, sickness, death and the other ingredients of life, and range in tone from funny, sad and poignant to the supernatural, and though not all are gems they feel very much of a piece and provide a thought-provoking smorgasbord. In French and English. Subtitles. The film contains rough language, innuendo, drug dealing and use, a stabbing death, brief sexual encounters, a sex emporium scene with a scantily clad dancer, a vampire sequence with blood, and divorce. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. - - - Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies. END Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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