Lost in Translation
by Flick Chick Vique
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2 Days in Paris flies in with 4 Red Vines for being simply oo la la! |
Some people dream of paradise. For them a trip to Hawaii or the Bahamas is a fantasy come true. Me, I’ve only been driven by concrete and lights. Give me a city, with culture, museums, history and nightlife. The bigger the better. At the top of that list is Paris. To only spend 2 days there would be a most unsatisfying hor d’oevre. But for the main character in 2 Days in Paris it is pure torture!
Direct from the city of lights, comes a romantic comedy that is so fresh and different, there is absolutely nothing with which I can compare it. Earlier this year, Knocked Up had people rolling in the aisles. And while this too is an adult comedy that pushes the boundaries, it does so in a somewhat more sophisticated way.
In 2 Days in Paris, an American guy and his French girlfriend, go to Paris so the guy can meet her family. The guy speaks like two words of French and understands even less. Ditto for the family in reverse. But that little barrier is nothing compared to the complete culture shock in store for the hapless boyfriend. For you see, everywhere the couple goes there is a former lover waiting in the wings. The situation would be tough for any guy but when the man in question is a suspicious, paranoid hypochondriac and his girlfriend is a high strung, feisty feminist who is less than truthful, things quickly spiral out of control. And you will be just as out of control with laughter.
The movie goes back and forth from English to French with subtitles. And while I found the subtitles some of the most difficult to read and keep up with (the French banter can be quick and light colored backgrounds eat up the white typeface) it is worth the effort. Comparing what’s being said to how the girlfriend translates it is half the fun.
Of course there has to be a mastermind behind such genius and in this case it is its star Julie Delpy. Not only is the French beauty the ‘girlfriend’ Marion, she is the film’s writer and director! Upon learning this I couldn’t help but think of triple threat Adreinne Shelly from this year’s equally creative and delightful Waitress. Like Shelly, Delpy has turned her labor of love into a family affair. Her real life mother and father play her quirky and oh so French parents.
Then there’s one of my absolute faves, Adam Goldberg as neurotic as all get out Jack. In case you don’t recognize the name you will the face. Remember Joey’s slightly manic roommate on Friends? He also played a gut-wrenching scene as a murdered soldier in Saving Private Ryan. But comedy is king in Goldberg’s deft hands. You will relate to his struggles as the fish out of American water.
Between the bad subtitles and the rapid dialogue, 2 Days in Paris isn’t always the easiest film to follow. But the issues of commitment, love and insecurity are universal. This is a great date movie that promises big laughs. And funny is funny in any language.
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