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'Midnight in Paris' Makes for Delightful Romp

Woody Allen's latest work is one of the most entertaining films of the year.

Now in his 70s, making films primarily in Europe and no longer acting in them, Woody Allen appears reinvigorated. His latest film, "Midnight in Paris," is his best effort in years- a truly funny and delightful romp involving many of Woody's favorite themes.

Allen directed a film a year between 2000 and 2007, but of those eight pictures, only 2005's "Match Point" was in any way memorable.

But the years since have been better, with Allen cranking out standout films like "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (2008), the very funny, Larry David-starring "Whatever Works" (2009) and now "Midnight in Paris."

The film, Allen's 42nd feature as director, stars Owen Wilson as the latest Woody surrogate, and while he's considerably younger, blonder, more handsome and more Gentile than the Woody we know, he's somehow a natural in the role anyway.

Wilson is Gil, a successful Hollywood screenwriter who sees himself as a hack who would be much happier as a struggling novelist in Paris. When we meet him he's vacationing in Paris with his not-very-nice wife Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her equally awful parents (Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy).

Sick of seeing the Paris sights with his wife and an acquaintance, the world's most pretentious gasbag (Michael Sheen), Wilson starts walking the streets of Paris at night. At which point he's magically transported to the Paris of the 1920s and hobnobbing with legendary figures of music, art and literature.

There's Scott and Ella Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Salvador Dali and many others, including the period's only fictional character, a young aspiring fashion designer played by Marion Cotillard.

There are a lot of themes here that we're used to from Woody - among others, adultery, failed relationships and idealization of the culture of decades ago over that of today.

What drives the film are a genuine love of Paris itself - beautifully photographed by cinematographer Darius Khondji - and of the famous characters of the past, which allow the film to celebrate nostalgia while at the same time arguing that nostalgia isn't all its cracked up to be.

Wilson's performance is the best he's given in quite some time, breaking a long losing streak of either starring in bad movies or not being especially great in them.

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A whole lot of the small performances as the '20s characters are just a scream, especially a turn by Adrien Brody (another guy who really needed a good role after a long dry spell) as Salvador Dali, Kathy Bates' Gertrude Stein and Alison Pill as Zelda Fitzgerald.

But it's under-the-radar TV actor Corey Stoll who walks away with the film as a young, loud and drunk Ernest Hemingway. Having almost as much fun is Michael Sheen, in the present-day early scenes, as a 21st-century version of the guy Marshall McLuhan interrupted in the movie line in "Annie Hall."

The only real weak link is McAdams who, playing a mean girl for the first time since "Mean Girls," is just too naturally likable to work as Wilson's nasty, belittling fiance.

It's enough of an achievement that a 75-year-old man is able to still direct a new movie every year, even if it's not especially good. But "Midnight is Paris" IS especially good - one of the year's most entertaining movies.

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The Silver Screen Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

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Roll Credits: Midnight in Paris

Directed by: Woody Allen

Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Adrien Brody, Alison Pill, Corey Stoll.

Rated: PG 13

Length: 1 hour - 28 mins.

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