Paris, Je T'aime

Paris, je t'aime is a romantic mosaic of 18 short films representative of the 20 different arrondisments or neighborhoods in Paris. The New York Times dubs Paris Je T’aime “a cinematically literate travel brochure: The Eiffel Tower sparkles, the parks are lush and green, and the banks of the Seine are an inviting lovers’ rendezvous. But the Paris we see is not so prettified that it looks and feels unreal, and the pace is hectic; this is a whirlwind tour.” Through this ironic tour the viewer is drawn into the lives of people, and their story is placed on a landscape of Parisian backdrops. While there is no distinct storyline or plot that links the whole movie, the Parisian identity is deconstructed. By witnessing specific stories of different characters, one begins to realize the intrinsic value of location as contributor to identity and that Paris is far more than baguettes and the Eiffel Tower. It is a successful blend of complex stories delivered in a simple package. The title is perfect- simple, beautiful, and complex all at once. While not every storyline has a positive relationship with the city, they all need it. While every story was not perfect, as a whole it was a satisfying movie watching experience. All of my movie expectations were fulfilled in the best way possible.

NYTimes Slideshow