Anyone who's ever been on a date that's gone bad and watched helplessly as things got worse will appreciate this film.
French condoms? A photo of him naked that she shows her family? A visit to Dad's art gallery for a tour of the bawdy, hypersexual paintings and drawings? A sister (Aleksia Landeau) who may or may not be on your side? The cocktail party that goes terribly awry? It's enough to make a guy exclaim (as Jack does), "This isn't Paris. This is hell."
Paris may be the City of Lights, but what dawns on this couple is that they might not make it as a couple after two days here. Delpy's script was nominated for a César award, and it's an intelligent screenplay that focuses on character while also moving the characters briskly along in the space of the film's 100 minutes. "2 Days in Paris" earned a Best First Feature nomination from the Independent Spirit Awards, and Delpy's direction is tight and her sense of a scene impeccable. None of them seem to go on too long or end too abruptly. Ultimately, as with most good films, it's the small details that matter most. I doubt very much that I'll ever forget Marion's father keying the sides of every car that encroaches upon the sidewalk they're using as the group strolls through Paris. The juxtaposition of his casual political protest against Jack's moral outrage and Marion's laissez faire attitude gets to the heart of what makes a scene work, and what makes a film connect with an audience on a human level. There are many such moments in "2 Days in Paris," a delightful first-effort from a woman whose promise as a director equals the promise she shows as an actor.
Video:
For an independent film, the production values are quite good. There's a slight graininess throughout and some soft-focus edges, but other than that the picture is mostly sharp and with good color saturation. "2 Days in Paris" is presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio, stretched to fill out the entire 16x9 monitor.
Audio:
Since it's mostly dialogue, the English Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack seems like overkill. There isn't even much in the way of ambient street noise, and the pair spends all sorts of time in Paris exteriors. It's also odd that a film set in France doesn't have a French soundtrack. Or subtitles. The only subtitles are in English (CC) and Spanish.
Extras:
There's about a half-hour of bonus features here, half of which are worthwhile. Delpy appears on-camera for a 15-minute interview during which she talks about the film and the choices she made. As you watch, you almost wish she'd have done a commentary track, or appeared with Goldberg to talk about the chemistry the pair has . . . and doesn't have. The other fifteen minutes of extras are extended scenes, none of which is different enough to warrant a look.
Bottom Line:
Delpy does for Paris what Woody Allen did for New York, turning it into an arena for neuroses and relationship angst, and milking it for all the comedy that those situations present. "2 Days in Paris" has the look and feel of an independent film and the accomplished writing and brisk direction of a big-money feature. And Delpy and Goldberg make the perfect couple for this misadventure. Anyone who's ever been on a date that's gone bad and watched helplessly as things got worse will appreciate this film.
Paris may be the City of Lights, but what dawns on this couple is that they might not make it as a couple after two days here. Delpy's script was nominated for a César award, and it's an intelligent screenplay that focuses on character while also moving the characters briskly along in the space of the film's 100 minutes. "2 Days in Paris" earned a Best First Feature nomination from the Independent Spirit Awards, and Delpy's direction is tight and her sense of a scene impeccable. None of them seem to go on too long or end too abruptly. Ultimately, as with most good films, it's the small details that matter most. I doubt very much that I'll ever forget Marion's father keying the sides of every car that encroaches upon the sidewalk they're using as the group strolls through Paris. The juxtaposition of his casual political protest against Jack's moral outrage and Marion's laissez faire attitude gets to the heart of what makes a scene work, and what makes a film connect with an audience on a human level. There are many such moments in "2 Days in Paris," a delightful first-effort from a woman whose promise as a director equals the promise she shows as an actor.
Video:
For an independent film, the production values are quite good. There's a slight graininess throughout and some soft-focus edges, but other than that the picture is mostly sharp and with good color saturation. "2 Days in Paris" is presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio, stretched to fill out the entire 16x9 monitor.
Audio:
Since it's mostly dialogue, the English Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack seems like overkill. There isn't even much in the way of ambient street noise, and the pair spends all sorts of time in Paris exteriors. It's also odd that a film set in France doesn't have a French soundtrack. Or subtitles. The only subtitles are in English (CC) and Spanish.
Extras:
There's about a half-hour of bonus features here, half of which are worthwhile. Delpy appears on-camera for a 15-minute interview during which she talks about the film and the choices she made. As you watch, you almost wish she'd have done a commentary track, or appeared with Goldberg to talk about the chemistry the pair has . . . and doesn't have. The other fifteen minutes of extras are extended scenes, none of which is different enough to warrant a look.
Bottom Line:
Delpy does for Paris what Woody Allen did for New York, turning it into an arena for neuroses and relationship angst, and milking it for all the comedy that those situations present. "2 Days in Paris" has the look and feel of an independent film and the accomplished writing and brisk direction of a big-money feature. And Delpy and Goldberg make the perfect couple for this misadventure. Anyone who's ever been on a date that's gone bad and watched helplessly as things got worse will appreciate this film.
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