This beautiful work of fiction by Woody Allen takes us back to the 1920s with its vintage cars, beautiful vintage dresses, jazzy tunes, and unending, meaningful conversations with Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Jean Cocteau and the likes of them.
“Paris is the most beautiful in the rain”
Gil (Owen Wilson), essentially a screenwriter, trying to write a book about a man in a nostalgia shop, stumbles into this fantasy world in Paris and comes across Hemingway. He hurries off to get his pages in order to get Mr. Hemingway to review his story but, loses him in the process. Exhilarated about the prospect of running into Mr. Hemingway again, he takes his fiancee Inez (Rachel McAdams) along this time but, she gets tired of waiting and eventually, leaves.
Gil stays in a complete denial of the situation that Inez and him are not right for each other or if she’s having an affair with another man?! His persistent desire to settle down in Paris keeps growing as the film goes on, in one of the instances he proclaims to Inez that we should walk in the rain, “Paris is the most beautiful in the rain”, but Inez disagrees with him and asks him to step in the car to go back. Gil in one of his trips to the 1920s ends up meeting Adriana(Marion Cotillard) who is, just like Gil, struck with nostalgia. His next few nights are spent with Adrianna, discovering Paris in its true greatest era 1920s (according to Gil).
An interesting part that you would come across in this story is when Gil (in the present century), meets an antique dealer and finds Cole Porter’s gramophone record and then, Adrianna’s diary which includes her mentioning Gil. (strange, right?). He starts to fall in love with Adrianna while trying to figure out ways to stay with her. But, hearing her talk about going back to the 1890s, eventually makes him realize the relevance of staying in the present century and this sudden occurrence marks every next step that he takes in the film moving us to an impeccable ending.
The music of the film is a complete add on to the beautiful scenery, streets and well Paris itself. This story will be a favorite for everyone who wishes to go back in time and grab the fantastic opportunity of meeting their favourite poets, musicians, writers. The film will put you in a thoughtful state, forcing you to think about the idea of every generation wanting to go back (to their favorite art) to the previous one.
Now with open ends, I would like to leave this one more up to your own interpretation. But, consider asking yourself this – What if you did go back in time (to experience your choice of art) would you choose to reside there forever?