2 Days in Paris

So I somehow missed this film when it was in the theaters (I know it's shocking but even I have only so much time!) but I did DVR it on Showtime HD and got around to watching it last night (love that DVR).

The movie stars, and was written and directed by, the French actress Julie Delpy whom I like, particularly in the wonderful Richard Linklater films Before Sunrise and Before Sunset (you know the drill, if you haven't seen them, rent them immediately - Before Sunset is a sequel to Before Sunrise which was co-written by Hawke and Delpy). Julie Delpy plays a Parisian who now lives in New York but who has stopped off on the way home from Venice to visit Paris for two days with her American boyfriend played by Adam Goldberg. Watching Julie Delpy wander around Paris talking to an American boyfriend certainly brought Before Sunset to mind (since that film features Julie Delpy wandering around Paris talking to Ethan Hawke) but 2 Days in Paris is much darker and angrier than the sunny, loving Before Sunset.

There are quite a few funny moments in the film even though the film tends towards dark humor. I would say that the most enjoyable scenes in 2 Days in Paris would be those that involve Delpy's family which I mean literally since her parents play her parents in the film. Her father in particular, as the owner of a saucy art gallery, is particularly entertaining but the whole family dynamic works well for the obvious reasons. I also enjoyed some of the back commentary on Parisians, a lot of which is displayed by a series of encounters with different archetype cab drivers (who are even listed in the credits as Flirtatious Taxi Driver, Racist Taxi Driver, etc.)

However, the crux of the film revolves around the couple's encounters with an endless stream of Delpy's ex-boyfriends which repeatedly puts Goldberg's character in a sulk. Delpy's character was so quick to anger and Goldberg's character was so quick to pout that I wasn't sure I even liked them by the end of the film. Also the ending, which puts Goldberg's character in a series of unlikely, bizarre encounters, somewhat ruins whatever realistic portrayal of a relationship the movie attempts to show.

Ultimately, I would say if you catch it on cable you may enjoy the funny moments the film has to offer and it was certainly a pleasant way to pass an evening but just be warned that it may not leave you with too much in the end. Here's hoping though that Delpy continues to work on her own films because I can sense that there may be another Before Sunset gem lurking around the corner.

Check out the trailer and see what you think: