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.

[–] bcstoneb444 9 years ago

I sort of agree. What struck me about MIP – and a lot of Allen’s movies – is that the main characters are self-centered, spoiled, self-absorbed, have artsy and intellectual pretensions, bicker among themselves, etc., and thus not very attractive. It may or may not be coincidental that often they are comfortably well off, and sometimes downright rich. The arty types Pender encounters in the belle epoch aren’t a whole lot more appealing, except that, retroactively, conveniently so, we consider several of them artistic geniuses, or close to it.
All that said, I more or less liked the movie. BTW my Golden Age is the 1930s, so pretty close to that here.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Robbmonster 9 years ago

I'm not wealthy in the slightest, and I loved it.

I don't think the film is targeted at 'the wealthy', if anything it's targeted at the nostalgic.

Having said that, you think - as so many on these boards do now - in terms of dollars and cents, like a marketing manager. It would surprise me if Allen has a target audience for anything he has ever done. He just writes the stories that come into his mind.

Never defend crap with 'It's just a movie'
http://www.youtube.com/user/BigGreenProds

[–] DracTarashV 9 years ago

Wealthy people, francophiles, and of course, the true Woody Allen film buff :/

But that aside, I can enjoy this ultra rich movie without thinking about these sorts of things--and so should everyone else! Maybe.

Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!

[–] JayBee-66 9 years ago

If you live in the West then odds-on you are in the top 1% in terms of global wealth.

[–] louiseculmer 8 years ago

Gil does work, he is a writer. And his girlfriend's father is in some kind of business, i don't remember what. however, i don't think it matters thwt they are rich. Characters can be rich and still interesting. besiodes, how many films are actually about work? it is hard to make work interesting, unless the film is about a detective or a spy or something. Like many films, this one is about relationships, not work.

[–] Quicksilver1900 8 years ago

A similar, very funny film in the same vein is 'Window to Paris'. It is not about time travel, but shows the working-class Russian inhabitants of a run-down communal apartmment in St ¨Petersburg who discover a window which opens into a Paris apartment. They enter, and mayhem ensues.