Paris as Protagonist

The City of Light plays a leading role in the 2013 film, Le Week-End, about a long-married British couple celebrating—or, at least, observing—an anniversary. It’s sort of a Before Midnight with a slightly older couple (Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan) as more annoying characters. The wife seems not to care for the easygoing complacency of her balding spouse and isn’t shy about letting everyone know about it. Will the constant bickering please end? Will Paris or the unexpected appearance of Jeff Goldblum change them?

Here we have Paris high and low, those who can afford the cake and those who want to. Here we take the taxi tour, marvel at the L’Arc de Triomphe, gasp at the first sighting of the Eiffel Tower, pant on the ascent to Sacré-Coeur, wish the dinner bill were slightly lower, and land at the Hôtel Plaza Athénee. The surroundings might not change this couple, but they’ll certainly inspire the viewer. The story is worth a watch, and so is the city.

—Lori Tripoli

Interested in films featuring Paris? Check out these posts:

• What We Used to Think of Paris, and Women
• Visit Versailles via ‘Farewell, My Queen’