MovieChat Forums > Midnight in Paris (2011) Discussion > A movie by rich people about rich people...

A movie by rich people about rich people for... who exactly?

posted 12 years ago by iamjohnsname
96 replies | jump to latest

As I watched this movie it occurred to me that no one (except the detective) works in this movie.

Everyone is rich enough to be able to go to Paris with friends and family for a while. Her parents are there on business so they decide to tag along. A decision that for most families would depend on a year of saving the income left over after the repayments are made.

But Owen Wilson plays Gil, a wealthy screenwriter who lives in Beverley Hills. The wealth is not incidental but is in fact impressed upon us: When he sees the old car for the first time, he mentions a friend from Beverley Hills who collects antique cars, he and his fiancé meet their friends in Paris and the woman carries an enormous Dior shopping bag; his fiancé and her mother look at wedding bands in a storefront: "Diamonds for wedding band - it's the way you have to go." When an earring goes missing, the blame falls on the maid; "It's always the maid," says the mother. When Gil sticks up for her, his fiancé says "you're always sticking up for the help."

Even though the main character needs to retreat to fantasy to find happiness, even the reality scenes are a fantasy for most of us. Only in my imagination could I "decide to stay in Paris" to dedicate myself to creativity and experiencing culture. Because I have to go to work every day.

I am surprised at the positive reception to this film. Not because it's bad. It's enjoyable in many ways which I won't argue about, but it is so specifically a movie about the 1%, made during a time when the 99% are pretty vocal. And I'm surprised that the 99% didn't object to this movie more.

So to me, this is a movie made by rich people about rich people. And ultimately I feel it is for rich people. In fact, the only character we see working, the detective, ends up doomed because of his job. "Off with his head!" is the last line we hear about him. If only he had skipped work that night, he might have been ok.

Clearly, these are people who have better things to do than work, and are rich enough to make that choice.

Sooner or later, everyone needs a haircut.

[–] daydreamer021979 10 years ago

I only watched this move for Tom Hiddleston. The fiance and her mother were b*****s in my opinion.

I Am Who I Am.
Your approval isn't required.

[–] MicahFish 10 years ago

Because rich people didn't work for their money.

[–] LostTravels 10 years ago

I for one found it to be a fantastic movie.

I also work for a living.

[–] ajukoor 10 years ago

Uh, shut your face.

Please, visit my Hell Hole. Thank You! prguauk.myminicity.com/tra

[–] tobias_681 10 years ago

The movie could have scored bonus "reality points" for making Wilson's character more depressed but it's not putting the wealth in a very positive light. He's doing *beep* he doesn't want to do. She and her parents are extremely superficial. Is he happy? NOPE! Will he remain that rich? PROBABLY NOT! Will he be more happy? PROBABLY!

Myself I would be more than fine if I could earn enough money to live while doing a thing that I love.

It's not about wealth and doesn't even present it in a positive light. Why can't it use it to enrichen the theme?

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You see things; and you say Why? But I dream things that never were and I say Why not?

[–] jonletters-273-374174 10 years ago

A lot of fiction centers around the wealthy as money is profane and uninteresting and distracts a story from higher concepts, as it does distract our own lives from higher concepts.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Kingsbridger 9 years ago

This view by iamjohnsname is short sighted, misdirected and simply shows a jealous streak that is unbecoming. Think of it ... Woody Allen making a movie that only appeals to richer folk. Ridiculous. In many ways it points out the absurdity of wealthier people. It's like saying Mel Brooks has a running theme of Nazi's in his movies, therefore the films are for Nazi's and their supporters. Nonsense. He decided to do a movie to wonder what it would be like to meet all those people in 1920's Paris. A logical person to interface with all those creative people would be a creative person as well. And what would they think of their condition and the human condition in general. Everyone thinks the good old days preceded them and don't give enough credit to their current experience. "The grass is always greener ..." idea. Gil winds up realizing he was not living in the "now"and decided to change that. He was glancing at the tart sitting outside after his breakup and decided against pursuing her. Instead he ambles about and kismet happens. He runs into the local Parisienne who liked and sold the old records but also was the new "now". Wonderful windup of the script. To that I say, "Rhinoceros!"