CINEMA: Two Days In Paris

Hurrah for Julie Delpy, an actress who proves the essence of the auteur is truly still alive and kicking with this peach of a movie she not only stars in but also wrote, edited, produced and directed (oh, and contributed the music as well).

Free-spirited Parisian-born Marion (Delpy) now lives in the States with her phobic boyfriend Jack (Adam Goldberg) who has a thing about bugs, cleanliness and all things un-American. After a less than successful romantic trip to Venice, the pair travel to Paris for two days before embarking on their journey home. Here, they stay in Marion’s old apartment that just happens to be in the same building as her parents’ (Albert Delpy, Marie Pillet), who very inconveniently don’t speak English. So the scene is set for much bickering, misunderstandings, glorious family bust-ups, Jack’s jealousy over Marion’s exes and much poking of fun at the Yanks.

It’s a classic tale of a stranger in a very strange land, being totally at sea and not knowing which way to paddle. Highlights include Marion’s very fat cat, her father’s hatred of cars parked on pavements and trying to get Jack to eat the head in the rabbit stew, arguments with taxi drivers, the inadequate size of European condoms and a row about a certain famous dead singer’s grave. It’s all utterly charming in a quirky, kooky, Gallic way – no wonder Jack looks so bewildered.

This is a film with real laughs and acts as an excellent calling card to any big budget projects Delpy may wish to put her name to in the future. Vive le France!