Based upon characters created by Julie Delpy
Story by Julie Delpy, Alexia Landeau and Alex Nahon
Screenplay Written by Julie Delpy and Alexia Landeau
Directed by Julie Delpy
***1/2 (three and a half stars)
The stark, raw and previously unearthed emotions that can only be unleashed through a reconnection with family is a fascinating and unrepentantly ugly beast. Believe it or not dear readers, even I, your friendly neighborhood film enthusiast, am unable to resist its' dark grip, despite my best intentions. I am a man who happens to have what is known as a "long fuse." But, truth be told, once that fuse is ignited, I do happen to harbor a particularly nasty temper. While I have been able to avoid all family calamities that might occur during the holiday season with skill and panache in the past, this Thanksgiving, I shocked myself by becoming so enraged and furiously engaged in an argument with a cousin through the most absurd medium of all: Facebook! The written messages between him and myself began with a polite contentiousness but rapidly erupted into vehement blasts filled with deep resentments that had previously been unspoken. Every time I told myself to step away from the keyboard, especially when the ridiculousness of the situation became so blindingly apparent--I mean, really, it's Facebook--a new comment would arrive and refusing to back down, I spent more time arranging my words as stinging and as brutally as I could conceive them. And really to what avail? And beyond that, what had happened to me in those moments and those increasingly expanding, virtuolic minutes where my better nature evaporated into something so vengeful?
Just think for a spell about your families and your relationships with those people and specialized community that you were born into. What is it about family that allows us to uncoil from our better selves into ones filled with rancor, resentment, recriminations and at times, crippling regrets? I had those questions firmly in mind as I sat down to view Director Julie Delpy's romantic and family comedy of manners "2 Days In New York." Within minutes I realized that I could not have asked for a better tension tamer at that time as the film was an often laugh out loud comedy that also carried extremely perceptive and precise notions about the complicated and infuriating dynamics between family members, and especially when those dynamics play out in front of an intimate bystander who may soon become a travelling member of this particular, unique circus. Before viewing this film, I discovered that "2 Days In New York" is actually a sequel to Delpy's previous directorial effort "2 Days In Paris" (2007) which I have not yet seen. But, please do not deter this tidbit to stop you from checking out "2 Days In New York" as it confidently and independently stands upon its own two cinematic feet while also providing you with a most entertaining, hilarious and sincere experience. You are in terrific hands with Julie Delpy and "2 Days In New York" is time enthusiastically well spent.
Julie Delpy portrays Marion, a Parisian photographer living in New York with her three year old son from her now ended relationship, as chronicled in "2 Days In Paris." Along with her son and cat, Marion resides with Mingus (Chris Rock), a writer for the Village Voice, radio host of a particularly lively NPR program and twice divorced Father to his own daughter from one of his previous marriages. As the film opens, Marion and Mingus are preparing for the arrival of Marion's sister Rose (Alexia Landeau) and their Father Jeannot (Albert Delpy-Julie's real life Father), who longs to see his grandchild especially after the death of his wife, Marion and Rose's Mother.
Yet, almost immediately upon arrival, tensions begin to flare as Marion and Mingus are surprised by the additional presence of Rose's loosey-goosey, overly flirtatious, racially inappropriate, pot smoking, artist boyfriend Manu (Alexandre Nahon). Life in Marion and Mingus' household continues to escalate through the Parisians' boisterous, free-wheeling nature, full of endless amounts of food and arguments, which slowly but surely perplexes and then infuriates Mingus. Additionally, Marion, who is also anxiously preparing for her photographic art show opening during which she will conceptually sell her soul to the highest bidder, grows more unhinged with each family misunderstanding and conflict which then furthers to potentially upend her love affair with Mingus.
Julie Delpy's "2 Days In New York" flies by with a zippy energy and increasing frenetic pace which never loses sights of the real emotional turmoil that exists inside of all of the film's characters. Delpy effortlessly amps up the screwball aspects of this comedy which also serves as a sexual farce as Marion and Mingus, over an again, try to have a moment of lovemaking to themselves but are always interrupted by something or another, which also increases the tension and frustration between them. Delpy has created a sharp, sophisticated comedy that works within the same neighborhood of intricate plotting, oddball interpersonal coincidences and cringe-inducing but hilariously social gaffes that made television's "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" such compelling comedic gold. Yet, what Delpy also accomplishes, unlike "Seinfeld" and even the works of Woody Allen, to which this film has been compared (more on that later), is presenting a New York that contains a more realistic and wider ethnic palate of characters, an element which was indeed refreshing.
As previously stated, "2 Days In New York" is at heart a social comedy of manners or lack thereof. The bulk of the film relies upon the nature of the cultural differences that exist between Americans and Parisians. Aside from the language barrier that exists between Mingus and Marion's entire family, there is also a private and physical barrier that the guarded Mingus never desires to cross (unless it is on his own public radio show where he is more than ready to use his most private musings and tales of family life for comedic fodder). Marion's sister Rose carries an exhibitionist quality, as she is free and easy with her body and sexuality, completely unlike our puritanical Americans for whom sex. Mingus and Jeannot's relationship also provides the film with some of its most uncomfortably wonderful comedy, as Jeannot has apparently no regard for personal space or bodily decorum, as witnesses through a visit to a Thai massage parlor.
Racial perceptions also figure heavily into the plot as Manu, who proudly wears his Obama T-shirt, tries to make nice with Mingus by proclaiming how he himself, a white, Jewish Frenchmen could have also been a "cool black man." He flirts openly with Mingus' sister by stating that she looks like Beyonce but "sexier." And he even assumes that Mingus would know how and where to procure some prime marijuana and is more than a little disappointed that he does not. Yet, Manu's unintended and playful racism doesn't end there, especially as he has a chance meeting with an East Indian friend of Mingus' who works for the White House and the ensuing conversation in this scene nearly made me spit out my drink through the surprised laughter.
As Mingus, Chris Rock truly surprises. While he has his own comedic moments when he holds private "conversations" with a life sized cut out of President Obama that stands tall in a corner of his office space, Rock is fully committed with portraying a realized character that could exist in the world as we know it. Chris Rock, for all intents and purposes, functions as the film's "straight man." He serves as the audience's stand in as he reacts to all of the craziness around him and we can fully understand his boiling inner fury. he is truly a pleasure to regard as we watch his grow from cautiously polite to bemused to enraged, and his slow burn takes are truly inspired from one moment to the next. And furthermore, what truly grounds him is the sincerity and romantic ease he displays with Julie Delpy as they do have a chemistry that makes us feel as if we are watching a real, contemporary, 21st century urban couple.
While I have made mention of this before, I feel that it bears reviewing at this time. It has been truly disheartening to see the lack of women as create filmmaking forces throughout my life and I have been so pleased to see one film after another this year that featured realistic, three dimensional female characters in stories created by women that have indeed garnered national releases and attention, although for many of them, the notices have been more on the minuscule side. I truly wonder what will occur when Oscar season arrives because the overall quality of women's roles have typically been so lacking and behind the scenes, women are a sad rarity.
But, we do have, among others, a vibrant creative force with Julie Delpy, who navigated through the emotional mine field of increasing family tensions so creatively, so warmly and so beautifully comedic. So, before you happen to engage in a Facebook war of words with any relatives, take a step back and plunk this feature into the home viewing unit of your choice and just laugh and laugh your resentments away.
No comments:
Post a Comment