Paris Je T'aime

Paris Je T'aime

This is less of a film, and more accurately a collection of numerous short films conveniently collated as an annotation (rather than celebration) of all things Parisian. Indeed, there is no common link or theme between the separate vignettes aside from Paris itself. For film enthusiasts, this is simply a veritable showcase of many great directors' work, with samples from the Cohen Brothers, Gurinder Chadha and Wes Craven to name but a few. With this in mind, Paris je T'aime is structured appropriately, introducing each segment by Parisian location and director.
The content of the vignettes is varied and diverse, reflecting the true nature of Paris. Themes seem to focus on comtemporary social issues such as racism, divorce and drug abuse; as well as more inherently Parisian motifs: colour, art, romance and, undoubtedly, love. The segments are presented in a well-considered order, taking us on a brilliant rollercoaster ride through Paris with tears, laughter, and also some confusion along the way.
Unfortunately, the final sequence attempts to link characters and scenarios from the different segments in a La Ronde-esque way, which is unnecessary and doesn't fit with the cut-and-paste feel of the rest of the film. Alexander Payne's final short film is extremely thought-provoking, and would have made for a far more effective ending.
Overall, an extremely worthwhile collection of work, providing a broad picture of Paris in the modern day from a wide selection of perspectives. A realistic and sometimes chequered outline of the city is given here, but the film could never be accused of de-romanticising Paris: that would be impossible.