Synopsis Cédric Klapisch’s latest offering Paris (2008), is not unlike the director’s previous films L’Auberge espagnole (2002) and Les Poupées russes (2005), which both depicted several narratives around a protagonist played by Romain Duris.
In Paris, Duris portrays Pierre, a dancer who has been recently diagnosed with heart disease. Pierre confines himself to his Paris apartment and seeks solace from his older sister Élise (Juliette Binoche). Élise has recently separated from the father of her children and decides to help her brother while he waits for a heart transplant. Across the street from Pierre’s apartment is youthful Laetitia (Mélanie Laurent), a student who begins an affair with Roland Verneuil (Fabrice Luchini), her history professor who is suffering from a midlife crisis. Roland and his recently married younger brother Philippe (François Cluzet), have just lost their father and with Philippe about to become a father, Roland begins to question the decisions he has made in his life.
Also there are a number of other characters in Paris including a casually racist woman (Karin Viard), who is unable to accept the changing cultural landscape of Paris and Jean (Albert Dupontel), who has recently separated from his wife and is unable to accept her dating other men. One of the more interesting segments which is woven between these narratives is Benoît (Kingsley Kum Abang) making his way to Paris illegally from Cameroon, to meet his brother in Paris and also a young glamorous French woman he has fallen for.
Klapisch’s Paris is an enjoyable film, mainly due to the charismatic performances from Duris, Binoche and Luchini. However there are some flaws - particularly Benoît and Philippe’s narratives which unfortunately are not as developed as the other narratives. Nevertheless Klapisch’s ability to depict realistic relationships and lived urban spaces is his strength, and with his impressive cast the director has created a pleasant film which perfectly blends moments of comedy and drama.