This is a film of nostalgia...of the past, of what could have been, of what should have been, but most of all it is a yearning for a golden era in a golden city. If it isn't blatantly obvious from the title of the film, it is set in (wait for it) Paris. The opening immediately show various shots of Paris in the summer, truly a sight that draws the eye in like no other. It is perfect casting that Owen Wilson stars as Gil Render, a lost Hollywood screenwriter pining to find himself as a novelist in the one and only city of lights with his obviously (to everyone except him) superficial and materialistic fiancee played by Rachel McAdams along with her corporate parents.
However, the somewhat anti-realist spin of the story comes when every night magically at midnight Gil finds himself transported to the Paris of the 1920's when he gets into a noticeably vintage cab. The Paris of the 20's is filled with all of Gil's idols such as Fitzgerald (F. Scott and Zelda), Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Picaso, Dali, etc. Hence, the duality of the story comes into play as Gil travels from the present where he feels so utterly out of place and misunderstood to the past where he feels valued, accepted, and full of belonging.
It is with no wonder that the character of Gil Render is an eerie clone to all of Allen's protagonists, based unsurprisingly on what can be only assumed is Allen himself. Gil is a man who had found success in writing mediocre, run-of-the-mill scripts in Hollywood with a materialistic fiancée who seems to take no interest in him or believe he is intelligent at all. This trademark lovable naivety already sets Gil's character on the fast track to the stereotypical Woody Allen protagonist.
Furthermore, Gil's lovable naivety coupled with his status as a complete outsider to those around him in the present and his fast-paced, philosophically deep dialogue catapults him to the ultimate Allen protagonist prototype. It is with no surprise that the protagonist greatest anxiety in life is a profound fear of death, because what would a Woody Allen film be without the main character having abysmal restlessness over towards the inevitable black abyss that ends us all.
However, it is extremely refreshing is to see another actor besides Allen himself portray this done over-and-over-again (just in a different time and setting) character. And in all honesty, Wilson perfectly encapsulates the character of Gil Render, adding a level of non-pretentious relatability that Allen himself could never bring forth when portraying his own main characters in his other films. Films such as, Annie Hall or Manhattan where when watching his characters seem overly snarky, snobbish, and not-easily identifiable.
Yet, Wilson portrays the character in a way that washes away all the arrogance of Allen's depictions. When watching this film one cannot help but follow Gil along on his journey hoping for him to realize the things the audience already knows will make him happier.
