PARIS

France, 2008, 126 minutes, Colour.
Romain Duris, Juliette Binoche, Fabrice Lucchini, Melanie Laurent, Karen Viard, François Cluzet, Gilles Lellouche, Albert DupontelL.
Directed by Cedric Klapisch.

Paris might be seen as something of a love letter to the city. It was written and directed by Cedric Klapisch, well-known for his trilogy about young students in Europe, L’ Auberge Espagnol, Russian capital and Chinese Puzzle.

This is an ensemble film with a top French cast, the sympathetic performance by Romin Duris as a dancer with a heart condition. Juliette Binoche plays his sister. There is the story of a Professor of history, becoming disillusioned with himself, played by Fabrice Lucchini. François Cluzet plays his architect brother. The Professor becomes infatuated with one of his students, texting her, eventually meeting her, Melanie Laurent.

The complex plot, with many strands in characters, is in the vein of many of the films by Robert Altman, Altman-esque in its structure.

There are many views of the city, panoramas as well as the details of the streets and interiors, many collages of activity, the audience being immersed in the city and its life.

One of the principal areas of activity is that the market, characters going to the stalls and shops there, some interactions between the people who run the stalls.

The central characters are all interesting, which keeps the audience attention, holding them in the memory while the screenplay goes to another of the narrative pieces.

1. The title? The film as a love-letter to Paris? A portrait, an interpretation?

2. The visuals, the variety of panoramas of the city, the prominent landmarks? The ordinary Paris, the streets, apartments? Immersing the audience in the city?

3. The collage of the variety of activities in Paris? The range of ordinary people encountered? Occupations, shops, the markets, taxi drivers…? The musical score?

4. The structure of the film, the variety of characters, pieces, episodes? In the tradition of Robert Altman?

5. The cross-section of characters and their interactions and connections?

6. Pierre, the dancer, scenes of him dancing, his career, alienation from his mother, dependence on his sister, the diagnosis, his heart disease, need for a transplant? Living alone, his loneliness, looking from the balcony? Seeing the girl? Interactions with his sister, telling the truth, telling the children? His watching people, creating stories? The sexual encounter? His going to the party, dancing, collapse? The phone call inviting him to go to the hospital for the transplant? In the taxi, passing the characters from the film, his looking up to the sky?

7. A police, the older sister, the three children, the mystery about their father? Her work, interviews, with the Africans, her asking for time off, the harsh reactions? The time spent with Pierre? Going to the market, the interviews, the encounters with Jean? The relationship with him? The farewell to Pierre?

8. Roland, his lectures, older brother, his relationship with his younger brother, going to the building site? His meeting the of professors, not wanting to be like them? The television producer, persuading him to go on camera, the filming of the episode, Baudelaire and French society? His breakdown? Going to the psychiatrist, not believing, yet needing? The infatuation with the girl, watching her, sending her texts, meeting her, the sexual encounter? Her casual attitude, her boyfriend and inviting him to see her life? Resuming the television? Sharing the joy of his brothers child? The brother, challenging him about being normal, his discussions with his wife?

9. At the market, the range of characters, the stalls, fruit, fish? The men, rowdy? The women? Gene and his wife, the separation, her leaving, the bicycle crash and her death? His grief? The interactions amongst themselves, out at night, the club, singing, the sexism and the wheelbarrow episode the man just wanting to have fun? The proposition, his not being able to fulfil and his walking away?

10. The children, playing, at school, friendships, with Pierre, with their mother?

11. The Africans in Paris, where they lived, the contrast with Cameroon, the preparations to come to Europe, the cost, the contacts, on the shore, the boat, the engine? The news of the drowning? Yet the mantra Cameroon and his photographing Notre Dame?

12. The supercilious woman in the shop, hard on her assistance, please in the customers, the girl from North Africa, her qualities, her being admired? And the encounters with
Pierre?

13. Audiences having the opportunity to live in and being immersed in Paris, the well-known Paris, ordinary day by day Paris?