Paris Je T'aime (opening June 1 at Landmarks Hillcrest Cinemas) is a rare thing these days. It's an omnibus film in which multiple directors come together to direct different segments. This format has been used with some regularity in horror films but far less often in other genres. In this case some twenty directors have each created a five-minute film about Paris.
The idea of getting twenty directors ranging from the well known to the obscure to make short films that could all be joined together to form a single portrait of the city of love seems like a daunting task. The resulting film is as one might expect uneven. Some segments soar while others sink. But with twenty stories and styles to choose from, everyone is bound to find something to like in Paris Je T'aime.
Tom Tykwer's Faubourg Saint Denis segment in Paris Je T'aime (First Look)
Subtitled Petite romances, each filmmakers segment is titled with the name of a quarter or district in Paris, and each deals with love of some sort romantic, maternal, paternal, unrequited, etc. Plus a love for the city itself, a sometimes gritty, sometimes magical, always diverse and always bustling place.
The film opens with a quirky and appealing tale of Montmartre by Bruno Podalydes. In it a man and a woman have an unlikely chance encounter on a Paris street. Then there's cross cultural romance in Gurinder Chadha's Quais de Seine . In this lovely tale, a young man's life is changed when he comes to the aid of a Muslim girl teased by his friends. One of the best and most bittersweet tales comes from one of the least known directors, South African Oliver Schmitz. In Schmitz Place de Fete , an immigrant has a love that burns brightly for a young woman who doesn't even know who he is. This story acknowledges a darker side to the city but still finds something beautiful as well.
Elijah Wood in Quartier de la Madeleine segment of Paris Je T'aime (First Look)
The citys nightlife gets a twist in Quartier de la Madeleine , a vampire tale directed by Canadas Vincenzo Natali. Natali directed the nifty low-budget sci-fi thriller Cube about a decade ago but he never hit it big. His moody tale of nocturnal love here boasts monochromatic visuals interrupted by bold bursts of red blood. This is probably the most unexpected segment in the film. Horrormeister Wes Craven contributes a segment and although its set in a cemetery, there's no horror to be found. Unless it''s the horror a young woman (Emily Mortimer) feels about her impending marriage to a man that she suddenly realizes is a drip. But an encounter with the spirit of Oscar Wilde (embodied by fellow director Alexander Payne) reignites the passion in their relationship.
Gus Van Sants Le Marias bursts on screen like a giddy rush of passion. The director's pacing and camerawork convey the breathless quality of love in the big city. Sweetness reigns in Tom Tykwers Faubourg Saint-Denis starring Natalie Portman and Melchior Beslon as young lovers. Portman plays an aspiring actress who innocently bewitches and bewilders a young man. Then the feisty and antagonistic relationship of an older couple (played by Bob Hoskins and Fanny Ardant) makes for fun in Richard LaGraveneses Pigalle .
Christopher Doyle, an Australian-born cinematographer who gained fame shooting lush romances for Wong Kar Wai, delivers an eccentric take on the Porte de Choisy . Shot like a high end fashion photo spread, Doyle delivers a story that reveals his global perspective and penchant for all things Asian.
Steve Buscemi in the Coen brother's Tuileries segment of Paris Je T'aime
In Tuileries , the Coen Brothers tackle the discomfort of an American abroad and alone in the city of love. Their humorous camerawork isolates actor Steve Buscemi in the Paris Underground. Then a Parisian woman toys with his affections. But American stars Nick Nolte, Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara and Maggie Gyllenhaal end up in far less satisfying segments. While it's great to see Rowlands and Gazzara square off some thirty years after they worked together in John Cassavetes Opening Night , their segment about the Quartier Latin feels contrived. And nothing falls flatter than a chapter about a boy and his mime parents.
The film also falters at the end by trying to wrap things up in a neat, clever package. In the final moments, the film has characters and stories intersect but there's no need for such pat contrivance. Trying to tie up the multiple tales feels like an obligation to audience expectations rather than a fitting way to bring these wildly diverse stories to a conclusion. It would have been more satisfying to simply pull back and view the city from a far, knowing that all the lives and stories we have just seen are part of a vivid and lively tapestry.
Paris Je T'aime (rated R and in French with English subtitles) is a charmer. Its like a sampler plate of sweet confections, delightful but not very substantial, and with enough variety to please just about everyone.
Companion viewing: An American in Paris, Amelie, Diva, New York Stories
