Midnight in Paris (2011) is a romantic comedy set in Paris that follows Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) on vacation with his fiancée, Inez (Rachel McAdams), and her family. Gil, a Hollywood screenwriter, is deeply enamored with the city and regrets passing up an opportunity to move there years ago. He considers himself an old soul, feeling that his writing doesn’t fit in with the modern world and believing he would have been better suited to life in the 1920s. However, Inez and her family seem disconnected from Gil’s passion, spending more time insulting him than supporting him.
One night, while wandering the streets of Paris alone, Gil is mysteriously transported back to the 1920s. There, he meets many of his literary and artistic idols, including F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso, and Salvador Dalí. As he continues these late-night journeys into the past, he falls for Adriana (Marion Cotillard), a woman living in the 1920s who, in turn, sees the 1890s as the true “Golden Age.”
Through these experiences, Gil realizes that nostalgia for the past is a never-ending cycle that will never bring true fulfillment. He comes to understand that true happiness comes from embracing life in the present moment.
By the end of the film, Gil recognizes his incompatibility with Inez and breaks off their engagement. Choosing to stay in Paris, he decides to live in the present rather than romanticizing the past.
The central theme of the film explores nostalgia and the illusion of a “Golden Age.” Throughout the story, Gil romanticizes the 1920s, believing it to be a better time than his present life. However, his encounters with Adriana reveal that every generation idealizes the past as superior to the present, reinforcing the idea that the “Golden Age” is always an illusion.
Midnight in Paris (2011) won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Screenplay in 2012.
Midnight in Paris (2011) Awards:
Academy Awards (84th Oscars) – 4 Nominations, 1 Win
- Won: Best Original Screenplay
- Nominated: Best Picture
- Nominated: Best Director – Woody Allen
- Nominated: Best Art Direction – Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
Golden Globes (69th Golden Globes) – 4 Nominations, 1 Win
- Won: Best Screenplay
- Nominated: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- Nominated: Best Director – Woody Allen
- Nominated: Best Actor -Motion Picture Musical or Comedy – Owen Wilson
British Academy Film Awards (65th BAFTAs) – 1 Nomination, 0 Wins
- Nomination: Best Original Screenplay
