2 Days in Paris

"2 Days in Paris" is the story Marion and Jack, a French expatriate and her whiny American boyfriend, spending two days in the City of Lights at the end of a European journey where they encounter her wacky family, friends and exes.

Written and Directed by actress Julie Delpy, who also stars in the film.
Starring Delpy as Marion and Adam Goldberg as Jack.
Released: 2007

REVIEW by Cinemagirl:

"2 Days in Paris" will seem familiar to anyone who has ever spent time in a country where they could not understand the language or fully grasp the culture.

Essentially, this problem lays the groundwork for all the action in the film. Jack, played by Adam Goldberg, spends two days in Paris with his girlfriend. The entire time they are surrounded by her crazy parents, an obese cat, strange artsy types, and a host of men who once dated Marion or at least had some sort of liaison with her.

The film is rife with French and American stereotypes, but it makes for a cute date movie. Nearly all the French people in the film talk about sex and the American tourists in the film are seen wearing Bush-Cheney '04 t-shirts. I don't think the people who even voted for them would dare wear those shirts to Paris. Being the "mean New Yorker" Jack deliberately gives the tourists incorrect directions to the Louvre so he can take their cab.

Throughout the film, Jack understands very little French and has no idea what anyone is saying. He misconstrues the meaning of the frequent kisses and friendly touches abundant in the French culture and suspects Marion of being involved with various men. Also, Jack is continuously confused because Marion will have lengthy conversations, even screaming fights, with former lovers and family members and yet never let Jack in on what is being discussed. Adam Goldberg's facial expressions and line delivery are great in this role of frustrated Jack.

Julie Delpy does a good job in several long scenes where she must simultaneously converse, in many cases, argue, in two languages. She also narrates the film from time to time.

The cinematography in this film is very loose. Most of it is handheld with natural light. It makes Paris very real and welcoming and not as austere and forbidding as films of yore or textbooks make it seem.

The opening of the film pulled me in. It begins with Marion and Jack asleep on a train coming into Paris. Marion narrates and amateur travel snapshots illustrating their European journey, up to this point, are seamlessly cut into the film.

Overall, I liked it and would recommend renting this movie. It's basically a romantic comedy, only without the stilted dialogue. Besides, it's only half in French so you only have to read subtitles half the time!

STORY: 7.5 - It was cute and original.
ACTING: 8 - Delpy and Goldberg made a believable couple. The crazy parents, especially the dad that keys cars parked on the curb, was a nice treat.
LOOK: 7.5 - the more real the better
OVERALL: 7.5