Deux jours a Paris

With the complete disregard for standards that characterized much of this weekend's big studio offerings, I was pleased to turn my attention, once more, to those films lending themselves to the smaller, pseudo-independent genres. IE: those which would not be placed next door to a theater showing Rob Zombie's Halloween.

The first of my weekend movie endeavors landed us at the AMC Shirlington to see Julie Delpy's Two Days in Paris. There were a few things that appealed to me about this movie: 1) Julie Delpy. I'm a fan of hers from the Before Sunrise/Before Sunset series, and how everything from her beauty to her accent grow on you as you watch her. She was also the best part of The Three Musketeers (yes, the one where we were forced to believe Oliver Platt got play on a regular basis). Not saying much, I know, but I was intrigued to see what she brought to the table as a writer, director AND actor. 2) Adam Goldberg. Typically cast to very similar supporting "genuinely awkward, a bit anxious, crazy Jewish guy" roles (he doesn't depart TOO much from that here), he is nonetheless a lot of fun to watch. I very much wanted to see him in a starring role, rather than just a highlight in the supporting cast. 3) It was filmed in Paris. At the very least, I could longingly sigh at the backdrop for the 96 minutes of the film.

2 Days examines a couple's pit stop in Paris, Marion's (Delpy) hometown, as they return from a vacation in Venice, on their way home to New York City. As an initial gripe, many of the introductions to reviews of the film discuss the vacation as an attempt to save their relationship. This, however, is never admitted to by the characters themselves. The only hint of trouble in the opening scenes is watching the couple sleep on an overnight train as Marion narrates, "It's been two years. We're officially a couple." The delivery is deadpan but seemed to simply imply a way of life, though upon deeper reflection perhaps she is describing a "sentence". Nevertheless, while it's a fair conclusion to draw at the end of the film, describing it as such in summaries seems a bit deceptive, particularly as the couple actually discovers and unravels their incompatibility through their time in Paris.

The 2 days are comprised of catching up with Marion's friends (and former lovers), stomaching a dinner of rabbit, seeing Jim Morrison's grave and sleeping in the apartment directly above Marion's parents' house. Marion's unstable mother, a former hippie/revolutionary/Jim Morrison bedroom partner, and her father, a bit Grumpy Old Men meets Boogie Nights pervert, provide a tremendous amount of comic relief in the film and are portrayed brilliantly by Delpy's own parents. I'm not certain if they are actors in reality, but they add to the greatest strength this kind of movie offers. In this fly on the wall format, as the viewer, you are simply overhearing their conversation at a party, or you are standing under their window as they bicker. You truly forget you are watching a movie and that people are acting. The acting in this film is that good.

Further, Delpy shows great potential in her role as a director and writer, but I couldn't help but be distracted by how much she seemed to "borrow" from Richard Linklater, the creator of the "Before.." movies in which she starred. 2 Days is, much like Sunrise/Sunset, essentially a 96 minute conversation. The difference is the dialogue takes place beyond the two central characters, but, like the series, the film isn't so much about plot progress as being an unseen observer. It felt like a bit of a rip-off.

Unlike Linklater's characters however, it becomes clear early on that Goldberg and Delpy are an ill-suited couple. Their lack of compatibility is brought to the forefront as Jack (Goldberg), who doesn't speak French, interacts with Marion's unconventional parents and art world friends, not to mention Parisian cabbies. We also learn early on that Marion has always been known as being "stuck" in her own world since childhood. Her behavior throughout the film demonstrates she's yet to grow out of that, and leaves Jack struggling to understand.

As my movie partner in crime cleverly observed, one fascinating component of the movie, and another support for the incompatibility of the characters, is its use of narration and perspective. Marion narrates, but we view much of the experience through Jack's lens. As I think more about this, I've concluded that the reason for this is Jack's perspective needs no clarification. He is true to himself, perhaps to a fault, throughout every interaction he has. Marion deceives many at various points of the film, and it is only through her narration that we can trust any of what she has to say. The narrator, thus, is the truth that Marion struggles to confront in much of her relationship with Jack. Further, though we can trust Jack more as a character, we know the least about him, even his occupation, lending further credibility the accusation he places on Marion towards the end of the film, "You don't really know me at all" and adding weight to her own selfishness.

Despite being only an hour and a half in length, the movie started to feel long. Perhaps because much of it is, in fact, the realization that these two people probably should not be together. As any of us who have had those agonizing conversations with an ex (at least I hope they're now your ex) can attest, it's incredibly difficult to experience the same for two people for which you are not rooting. Further, Delpy's character becomes less likable throughout, and since she is accountable for at least 50% of what is going on on-screen, time is not on the side of the viewer. I must confess, however, that even though it made parts of the movie incredibly uncomfortable, I respect Delpy for making her character "the bad guy" in the relationship. While both players are clearly flawed, it becomes apparent that Delpy is a bit too selfish, a bit too insensitive and a bit too, well, in her own world. She makes much of the story about her, and Jack simply a pawn in her world. Again, she tells us little about him and he does not volunteer it. While it would have been very easy for her to paint Jack as the disrespectful "stranger in a strange land" unable to overcome his own discomfort for the sake of his lover, that's simply not the case. He struggles, certainly, but trudges along for much of the horribly awkward ride.

Though it's not a film I would watch again, there are good reasons to see 2 Days in Paris. For one, it's a great opportunity to see Goldberg knock a performance out of the park while resisting caricature. Secondly, the family scenes are priceless and nail everyday, conventional dysfunction. Finally, I need someone to explain the "fairy" to me. Intriguing, no? See it now, gripe later.