Brava to Eleanor Coppola, directing her first movie, for daring to make a film that's about enjoying life. That's basically the plot. Diane Lane plays a woman, married to a successful Hollywood producer (Alec Baldwin), who is unable to fly to Paris due to an ear complaint. And so, instead, a French associate of her husband, played by Arnaud Viard, drives her across France to Paris. What ensues is a few days of beautiful scenery, food, wine and above all two people enjoying each other's company. It shows how we sometimes forget how just talking and taking in the good things in life can be wonderful. Albeit that these characters are affluent, can afford to go gallivanting around the French countryside and don't have to work. I can imagine that viewers who like a lot of action, and indeed who like a good plot, in their movies, will be infuriated by this film. This is a very European style Hollywood film and pays tribute to the French style of relationship films, as opposed to the more blustery American style, in which the woman would undoubtedly be more angst-ridden than Lane's character here, who is quite amused and laidback. Viard's character lays on the charm in order to romance the Lane character, but he's also entertaining and funny. This would be a good movie to watch on a plane or on a rainy afternoon or if you were sick. You just sit back and enjoy it.
Review of Paris Can Wait
