Midnight In Paris vs Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Let’s clear the air of ranking Woody Allen’s movies, of any kind of classic-versus-new debate, of any psychoanalysis involving Allen’s leading man avatar. Midnight in Paris is a great movie, period. It’s also a modern Woody Allen classic, and features Owen Wilson in a role that Allen himself obviously inspired. It deals directly with those critics in the audience who have a favorite era of Woody Allen movies, and confronts them with questions of which era, why, and what it says about both the movies and the viewers. Damn. Let’s clear the air again, starting now.

Wilson plays Gil, a journeyman Hollywood screenwriter who longs to write a novel. He’s on vacation in Paris with his hideously blasé and wealthy future in-laws (Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy) and his fiancé, Inez (Rachel McAdams, adding a welcome edge to her usual sunshiny persona). Inez’s folks want to shop, complain about restaurants, and thumb their noses at Gil’s tacky career. Inez wants to tour the city under the tutelage of her pretentious friends Paul and Carol (Michael Sheen and Nina Arianda, both funny and infuriating). Gil would rather experience what he considers to be the true Paris, on his own, for writing inspiration. The only time for this is late at night, when the others are sleeping. He sneaks out for walks, and finds, deep in the city’s winding streets, the cure for his writer’s block. I can’t tell you what it is. Midnight in Paris holds a plot secret so massive I can’t believe I’ve not seen it spoiled anywhere. I will tell you this: The secret is delightful and hilarious, and is acted beautifully by Kathy Bates, Adrian Brody, Marion Cotillard, Corey Stoll and Alison Pill, the latter of whom has an easy-going Holly Hunter-style effervescence and charm. I wish I could tell you who she plays. Oh well.

So, you old Woody Allen classicists, go see Midnight in Paris. But expect to see people there who just want a surprising, sweet-spirited comedy. Midnight in Paris presents the ultimate version of its title city. The acting is varied and top-notch from every actor. The script is smart and just what you want from Woody Allen: completely fresh in its old-fashioned sensibility.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is another modern Woody Allen travelogue comedy with a mix of wayward artistic souls and their shallow materialistic counterparts. Like Midnight In Paris, it doesn’t star Woody Allen, but he’s all over it, split evenly between the title characters. Vicky (Rebecca Hall) is the intellectual, questioning Woody, while Cristina (Scarlet Johansson) is the romantic, neurotic, unfocused Woody. I like them both, but Hall, who is one of my favorite actors, brings the most unexpected joys to the movie. The primary reason for this is that, like the supporting cast of Midnight In Paris, she was left out of most of the promotion for the film. The secondary reason is that she’s such an interesting, thoughtful actor.

Vicky and Cristina are on vacation in Barcelona, duh, staying with Vicky’s rich aunt, played by Patricia Clarkson. Vicky is supposed to get married to Doug (Chris Messina) who isn’t as romantic or interesting as she is, and well, of course he’s not, right? Cristina is more adventurous. While Vicky contemplates her relationship, Cristina is out exploring and meeting new people. Chief among these is Juan (Javier Bardem), who wants the girls to spend the weekend with him, together. As a trio. Wink. Cristina is down, and they begin relationship of sorts, based on being hot movie stars as well as whatever else they might need, which, let’s be honest, isn’t much else. Being a hot movie star goes a long way. Eventually, they have a third, Juan’s tempestuous artist ex-wife, Maria (Penelope Cruz). This becomes the center of the movie, for better or worse. They certainly make an attractive threesome, and all the actors are game and funny. Maria is unstable emotionally, always on the verge of some passionate flight of fancy or anger, and she helps disguise what is otherwise a light-as-air plot as something deeper.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona isn’t as good as Midnight In Paris. It’s easier to predict, easier to see wrapping up much as it started. The stakes are lower; the central plot is “Will hot young girls pull it together and be happy?” However much investment you’re able to muster for that question will guarantee how much you get back. But it’s a charmer, and the scenery is lovely. Thankfully, Woody Allen is a filmmaker taking obvious steps forward. Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a cute movie, but it can’t compare to his new stuff.

Midnight In Paris: A

Vicky Cristina Barcelona: B