Starring: Julie Delpy, Adam Goldberg, Daniel Bruhl
Director: Julie Delpy
Rated: MA15+
2 DAYS in Paris is a surprisingly entertaining film despite the fact that the two central characters can be extremely irritating, prone to selfish and stupid behaviour.
In 1995, Julie Delpy starred with Ethan Hawke in what many thought of as a talkfest film, some finding it arresting and insightful, others finding it tedious.
It was Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise. Nine years later, the three teamed up again for the opportunity to explore what had happened to the couple in the meantime, Before Sunset.
In recent interviews, Julie Delpy has spoken of how she and Ethan Hawke contributed to much of the dialogue. If one was a little sceptical about this claim, 2 Days in Paris proves how right – and how skilful – she was and is.
Now she has written a similar kind of film, directed it, edited it, composed the music and some songs which she also sings.
It is quite true when the credit comes up, a Julie Delpy Film.
This time the man is the bearded, prone to slob-look Jack, Adam Goldberg. Julie Delpy is his partner Marion. And her actual parents play her mother and father in the film, ageing former hippies and artists.
The couple, who have lived together in New York for two years, arrive in Paris for a two day stopover to meet Marion’s family. They talk and talk – in ways very reminiscent of the “Before…” films.
But, instead of being confined, they move around Paris, meet cab-drivers (who seem to be particularly targeted by Delpy as crass and bigoted), arty friends, past loves.
They both create emotional scenes, some of which grate but, all in all, the talk is often very funny, quite insightful into the uncertainties of contemporary young adults (and their hypochondria).
Julie Delpy proves her to be quite a talent.
