Midnight in Paris 2011

As Gil (Owen Wilson), a Hollywood screenwriter struggling to find inspiration, navigates the City of Light with his fiancée Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her wealthy, conservative parents, the weight of creative stagnation settles upon him like a damp mist. Inez’s family, skeptical of Gil’s aspirations to write a novel about a man who peddles nostalgia, dismisses his artistic ambitions as frivolous indulgence. Meanwhile, Inez herself is fixated on maintaining their Malibu lifestyle, further fueling Gil’s sense of disconnection and frustration.

The couple’s evening takes an unexpected turn when they encounter Paul (Michael Sheen), a self-proclaimed authority on all things Parisian, who invites them to a night of revelry. Despite his initial reservations, Inez accepts the invitation, while Gil chooses to forgo the festivities, opting instead to take a midnight stroll through the city’s winding streets. Lost in thought and motion, he becomes disoriented, only to be pulled into an antique automobile by its occupants, dressed in attire reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties.

As they make their way to a smoky bar, Gil is transported to a world that has long fascinated him - the era of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Porter. He rubs shoulders with Zelda (Alison Pill) and F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston), as well as the enigmatic Josephine Baker (Sonia Rolland). Amidst this gathering of literary luminaries, Gil is drawn to Cole Porter (Yves Heck), whose wit and charm are as infectious as his iconic melodies.

Gil’s chance encounter with Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll) sets in motion a series of events that will forever alter the course of his life. Hemingway agrees to facilitate a meeting with the revered Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates), and Gil sets out to retrieve his manuscript from the hotel, eager to share his work with this literary icon. However, as he exits the bar, reality rears its head once more, leaving him stranded in 2010, his experiences in the past now nothing more than a hazy memory.

As the clock strikes midnight once more, Gil’s nocturnal escapades take on a new dimension. His persistence pays off when Hemingway arrives, whisking him away to meet the inimitable Gertrude Stein. The literary giant proves to be a font of knowledge and connections, introducing Gil to the enigmatic Pablo Picasso (Marcial Di Fonzo Bo) and his ravishing mistress, Adriana (Marion Cotillard), a fashion student whose beauty is matched only by her wit. For Gil, it’s love at first sight - but little does he know that this chance encounter will set in motion a chain of events that will forever alter the trajectory of his life.

As Gil becomes increasingly enthralled with the City of Light and its artistic luminaries, Inez grows frustrated by his absence and lack of understanding for her own world. Meanwhile, her father’s suspicions are piqued, prompting him to hire a detective (Gad Elmaleh) to tail Gil. However, this well-meaning sleuth finds himself lost in the labyrinthine streets of 18th-century Versailles, a far cry from the modern-day mystery he was tasked with solving.

As Gil spends more time with Adriana, his affections deepen, leading him down a path of emotional turmoil and confusion. Seeking guidance from fellow surrealists Salvador Dalí (Adrien Brody), Man Ray (Tom Cordier), and Luis Buñuel (Adrien De Van), he finds solace in their unorthodox perspectives on the nature of reality. Inez, meanwhile, is oblivious to Gil’s nocturnal wanderings, too busy scouring the Marché Aux Puces for vintage treasures.

It isn’t until Gil stumbles upon Adriana’s diary in a Seine-side bookstall that he discovers the depth of her feelings for him - and the realization sets his heart racing. His desire to reciprocate her love prompts a harebrained scheme to pilfer earrings from Inez, but fate has other plans. As Inez returns early from a trip, Gil’s plan is foiled, leaving him to confront the consequences of his actions and the uncertain future that lies ahead.

As Gil returns to the past, he makes a poignant gesture by presenting Adriana with earrings, followed by a heartfelt confession of his love for her. The air is filled with romantic tension as they share a kiss, only to be interrupted by the sudden appearance of a horse and carriage. A charming couple, dressed in opulent attire, invites them to step inside, transporting Gil and Adriana back in time to the Belle Époque - an era that Adriana fondly refers to as Paris’s Golden Age. The duo finds themselves at the iconic Maxim’s Paris restaurant, where they encounter a trio of renowned artists: Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec (Vincent Menjou Cortes), Paul Gauguin (Olivier Rabourdin), and Edgar Degas (François Rostain). As Gil inquires about their perspective on the best era, the artists collectively determine that the Renaissance was the pinnacle of human achievement. Adriana is enchanted by the opportunity to design ballet costumes and proposes that they remain in the past, but Gil, having gained a newfound appreciation for the present, realizes that it’s essential to accept reality as it unfolds.

Adriana elects to stay in the past, bidding farewell to Gil with a heavy heart. Meanwhile, back in the present, Gil retrieves his novel from Gertrude Stein, who praises his progress as a writer but expresses concern about the protagonist’s failure to recognize his fiancée’s (based on Inez) infidelity with Paul, a pedantic character modeled after the real-life figure. Gil returns to the present and confronts Inez, who confesses to her indiscretion but insists that it can be overlooked once they return to California. However, Gil has reached a point of no return, and their relationship comes to an end.

As Gil navigates his new reality, he takes a midnight stroll, only to find himself unexpectedly reunited with Gabrielle. As the night wears on, he offers to escort her home, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his life.