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Synopsis
Eighteen
different directors and a slew of indie actors come together
for PARIS, JE T'AIME, a cinematic homage to the City of
Light. Each director presents his or her own short story set
in a different Parisian quarter, each one featuring a
different cast of characters. The pieces vary in length,
with some of them striving to tell a fully developed tale -
no matter how simple the plot - while others are more
abstract, content to rely on sparse dialogue and vivid
imagery. With directors such as Gus Van Sant, Alexander
Payne, Wes Craven, and the Coen brothers participating, the
tales are as varied and oddball as one might expect. Maggie
Gyllenhaal plays a lonely actress with a fondness for her
hash dealer. Elijah Wood encounters a seductive vampire on a
moonlit street. Steve Buscemi is a flustered tourist.
Natalie Portman falls for a deaf Frenchmen. Each tale is
markedly unique, and specific to the quirky style of its
director, and the film is a veritable Who's Who for indie
buffs. The end product is a bit uneven, with some of the
narratives sparkling and others starting strong, then
falling flat. But in the moments when it succeeds, the movie
can feel mysterious and magical, evoking the romance and
longing the city is famous for.
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