Catalina Sandino Moreno, Gaspard Ulliel, Juliette Binoche

Through the neighborhoods of Paris, love is veiled, revealed, imitated, sucked dry, reinvented and awakened.

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84% liked it

33,247 ratings

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105 critics

DVD Release Date: November 13, 2007

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  • June 7, 2009
    While some of these were hokey, there were definitely a few worthwhile standouts.
  • May 25, 2009
    A film like 'Paris Je T'aime' would not usually be my type of film to watch but because of the acclaimed directors and stars involved, I had to take a look.

    This episode film, consisting of 18 segments, feature some short stories that are actually very good. Some totally pointle...( read more)ss stories are also included that reduce the whole success of the movie.

    My personal favourites were, starting with the best one, Sylvain Chomet's 'Tour Eiffel', Richard LaGravenese's 'Pigalle', Coen Brothers 'Tuileries', Isabel Coixet's 'Bastille', Oliver Schmitz 'Place des Fétes' and Vincenzo Natali's beautiful vampire love story 'Quartier de la Madeleine'.

    Someone said to me, or then I read it from somewhere that 'Paris Je T'aime' is about love but this film is not about love, it's all about Paris, the City of Lights. Paris can be at times beautiful, dangerous, sexy and erotic but always full of totally different people and different stories.
  • December 28, 2008
    On paper, "Paris Je'Taime" seems like it would be extraordinarily tedious. A two hour long film of five minute shorts? Fortunately, however, things were paced well enough, and for every stinker, there was another two that were worth watching. That's not saying that the film is a ...( read more)complete success, though. There were some shorts here and there that I wanted to stretch on for the entire length of the film, and others where I felt physically embarrassed to be watching. "Paris Je'Taime" is an interesting experiment that illustrates the limitlessness of human imagination, however it's convoluted presentation keeps it from being anything too remarkable.

    There are a total of eighteen films in "Paris Je'Taime", and the directors span from all over the world. Mexico, Spain, Germany, and the United States are represented, among others. Perhaps the most recognizable directors to a mainstream American audience would be Gus Van Sant, the director of "Good Will Hunting" and "Elephant", Joel & Ethan Coen, directors of "Fargo" and "No Country for Old Men", and Alexander Payne, director of "Sideways" and "About Schmidt". Along with some of these extraordinary directors are a few of the top acting talents in the world today - from Juliette Binoche to Steve Buscemi.

    In a film like this, you're bound to select favorites. The last piece, directed by Alexander Payne, was far and away my favorite of the picture. It centers around an American tourist in Paris (Margo Martindale), who makes a living as a postal worker. She narrates the piece in French with a humorous American accent, and she concludes by reflecting on how sad and happy Paris makes her feel. A polar opposite short would be Sylvain Chomet's, the director of "The Triplets of Belleville", which tells the tale of a love story between two mimes. It's hardly endearing, and simply awkward to watch. Every time the film would gain momentum, a short like this would come along that simply doesn't work.

    The Coen Brothers' short centers around an American tourist (Steve Buscemi) who doesn't heed a warning to "not make eye contact". By staring at lovers on a train station, he aggravates the boyfriend so much that he comes to his side of the tracks to confront him. This, like Payne's short, works so well because it's so simplistic. Something as simple as this was perfectly suited for the format of the film, whereas other films like Christopher Doyle's hair salon short stumbles over it's feet over and over attempting to fit a half hour's worth of information into five minutes. The notable exception is Tom Tywker's piece, which nearly bursts at the seams with content. Telling the story of a relationship over a long period of time in fast forward, it's remarkable just how well it did work. It was one of the more stylish pieces in the film, and also one of the best.

    What I found the most worthwhile about the collective efforts involved in the film was that it simply shows us the capabilities of a director. They all had a theme, Paris, and it's fascinating to see what stories they tell and the characters involved in each film. Some, like Payne's, serve only as a loveletter to Paris itself, whereas others, like Vincenzo Natali, opt for a more surrealistic approach. It's interesting to not only look at the differences in content, but the differences in how things were shot and pieced together. You'll instantly pick out Cuaron's due to the fact that it has a trademark long tracking shot that was so astounding in Cuaron's masterpiece, "Children of Men".

    "Paris Je'Taime" is certainly choppy, and some shorts are far better than the others. As a collaborative effort, it's a mild success. I was never bored, and was always excited to see the next short. The most interesting thing about the film is not the shorts themselves, but analyzing which work and which don't, and why. Overall, however, this is a film that will be cherished by people interested in filmmaking more than people looking for an escape route. It's not a great film, but it's certainly quite compelling and worth a watch.
  • December 9, 2008
    18 Short films brought to you by Aclaimed international Directors. It?s important to know this before watching, as, if you are not someone who is familiar with the Directors in the collective film then it may confuse you a little.

    Filled with famous faces, Paris Je T?aime dis...( read more)covers all kinds of perceptions of love within the city of love.

    Fairly original in creation (although it has been done previously in Asian Cinema with ?Three Extremes?) this collection of stories unleash all kinds of creativity in it?s making.
  • July 31, 2008
    "Francine: There are times when life calls out for a change. A transition. Like the seasons. Our spring was wonderful, but summer is over now and we missed out on autumn. And now all of a sudden, it's cold, so cold that everything is freezing over. Our love fell asleep, and th...( read more)e snow took it by surprise. But if you fall asleep in the snow, you don't feel death coming. Take care"

    This review will be pretty long so bear with me. Paris Je T'aime or (Paris, I Love You) is a collaboration of international directors all over the world and tells stories about love in the City of Love. The film is broken down into 18 short films by different directors. While some segments bore me out of my skull and most of them, impressive, "Paris, Je T'aime" as an entity is a brilliant piece of work. Okay, so we'll start off with:

    Montmartre: This is the birthplace of one of film's most celebrated characters, Amelie. The short "Montmartre" directed by French writer-director Bruno Podalydes tells the story of a man psycho-analyzing all women who pass by him while inside his car on a parking spot. Fate decides to pair him up with a woman with low sugar level and the rest is history. The opening short was pretty okay, nothing out of the ordinary, it was a generic "when boy meets girl" love story and that was that.

    Quais de Seine: A story about three hopeless teenage boys who teases every women they see. One of them however meets a lovely young Muslim woman and immediately on the get-go, it is love at first sight. This segment was better than the first but again nothing special. Directors Chadha & Berges showed that love knows no boundaries even if you're from different ethnicities.

    Le Marais: A pretty awkward short by Gus Van Sant. A homosexual Gaspard Ulliel is somehow attracted to a young printshop worker and believes they are soul mates. You can call it a twist perhaps and this short's conclusion will give you a chuckle. The guy said call him not run.

    Tuileries: At this part of the film it's already picking up pace as American filmmakers the Coen brothers directs this hilarious segment that stars Steve Buscemi in a non-speaking role and tells the story of an American tourist who breaks the cardinal rule of eye contact while in a Tuileries station. This bit had me laughing all the way and I loved every minute of it.

    Loin du 16e: A beautiful short about a woman who leaves her baby in a daycare before taking a long commute to her employer's house to take care of the employer's baby. This one is beautiful. That's all I can say. The lullaby that she sings is quite catchy too.

    Porte de Choisy: When I saw this one it reminded me of David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive". Because in a nutshell, this film is just plain weird. So this guy, a hairstylist, heads out to Chinatown in Paris and from this point forward I didn't understand what was going on. The guys who made this must be high up their boners when they shot this one. And alas, it requires second viewing to fully understand it.

    Bastille: This is one of my favorites. The story will make you sad although I did not cry like a leaked faucet, I'm still depressed every time I remember this bit.

    Place des Victoires: So the previous short was sad right? Wait until you get a hold of this one. Japanese director Nobuhiro Suwa directs Juliette Binoche as a grieving mother and Willem Dafoe as a magical cowboy. This bit is "Bastille" but ten times sad. The story is just heart-breaking.

    Tour Eiffel: French animator Sylvain Chomet directs this cute little short about a boy who tells how his parents who are both mimes, meet in prison and fall in love. "Tour Eiffel" is a funny, feel-good, romantic, cute short film that'll surely tickle your funny bone. This one is up there too.

    Parc Monceau: Alfonso Cuaron's collaboration stars chain-smoking Nick Nolte and feisty Ludivine Sagnier as they talk about something I don't really care about in one continuous single shot. I can see the effort but the dialogue failed to glue the audience to the characters presented on-screen. Turns out, the 3rd person was the young lady's baby. Wow.

    Quartier des Enfants Rouges: French filmmaker Oliver Assayas directs Maggie Gyllenhaal as an American actress in Paris who obtains unstable hashish from her dealer. What kept me glued to this one is not the story but Maggie's acting. It may be short but it was enough. Strong emotions radiates from her face and it is simply amazing.

    Place des fêtes: "Bastille" was sad, "Place des Victoires" was 10x sadder but this one is the saddest of the whole bunch. Actually, its not sad, its fucking depressing. To think that it was a short 6 minute film but it felt like watching all of Darren Aronofsky's films in one fell swoop. The short starts simple but then it builds up to one tragic ending with the symbolic, almost poetic, concluding shot of the two coffees the woman is holding.

    Pigalle: Remember when I said some shorts bored me out of my skull, well, this is one of them. I love Bob Hoskins as an actor and all but why would I give a flying fuck about two old farts arguing in front of a prostitute? I'm sorry but this short is more suited for old farts.

    Quartier de la Madeleine: Vincenzo Natali directs Elijah Wood and Olga Kurylenko in this vampirical take of a love story in the city of Paris. I'm not really a fan of the whole vampire myth but if the vampire is as feisty as Olga Kurylenko, then I'll gladly let her bite me. This one was stunning in a vampiric, weird kind of way. I love it.

    Père-Lachaise: This one also belongs to the "Bored-Me-Out-of-My-Skull" department. I didn't know what was going on here. So this woman breaks up with the guy because the guy hates Oscar Wilde but then he trips and bumps his head on Wilde's epitaph and poof! Wilde appears to him to give some love advice and then he runs to the woman to reconcile with her. Yep, that's pretty much it. Sorry, Wes Craven, you're at the back of the line.

    Faubourg Saint-Denis: This one is the best of them all. It easily takes the cake as the best short out of the rest well mainly because its directed by underrated German director Tom Tykwer. It also stars Natalie Portman and it is the most deeply affectionate love story of the bunch. Tykwer's style of directing was so spectacular and beautiful and amazing plus you have the most heart-wrenching montage you will ever see. Its just brilliant.

    Quartier Latin: Another bore out of my skull short film, this film is about two old farts who meet at a restaurant for one last special dinner before they get divorced. Like I said in "Pigalle", this one is more suitable for old farts.

    14e arrondissement: And last but not least, the most amazingly written short directed by Alexander Payne tells the story of a woman from Denver, Colorado who, while on her first Parisian holiday, narrates in rough French what she loves about Paris. The monologue of the woman is well-written and witty. Add to that her fake European accent will make you smile awkwardly. And I love it.

    So that's it. My very lengthy review of "Paris, Je T'aime". You'll never see a review this long until "New York, I Love You" comes out. Can't wait.

    4/5
  • November 2, 2009
    a very unique love story in a round-about way
  • October 31, 2009
    good soundtrack and i love the city backdrop
  • October 29, 2009
    !Comercial or Stupid!:|
  • October 26, 2009
    Good movie. Paris Je Taime is made up of 18 short films (that don't interweave) of people in love, looking for love, or falling in and out of love, I liked maybe 15 out of the 18 stories overall, and I was always intrigued to see were the next directors tale would take me and whi...( read more)ch actor would appear in it. I'm now looking forward to New York I Love You, which I hope will be equally as good.
  • October 23, 2009
    Recommended by Arianeta

Critic Reviews


May 25, 2007
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

The result is that after two hours one gets the sense of having seen a panorama of human experience, of having witnessed a moment of time in all its true fullness. full review

May 25, 2007
Claudia Puig, USA Today

It's hard not to love Paris, Je t'Aime. A valentine to the planet's most romantic city, this delightful anthology of 18 short films will make you long to bid adieu to your humdrum existence and board ... full review

May 24, 2007
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

It is possible to bring substance, as well as poetry, to the vignette form, but more often Paris, Je T'Aime is merely mundane. full review

May 24, 2007
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Paris is well worth the trip. full review

May 18, 2007
Kurt Loder, MTV

This frequently enchanting omnibus movie -- a collection of 18 short films set in various resonant precincts of the City of Light -- radiates international star power. full review

May 5, 2007
Pete Hammond, Maxim

A fantastic trip to the City Of Lights thru the eyes of some of the world's greatest stars and filmmakers. A memorable movie experience like no other. full review

April 20, 2007
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

Typical of such compilations, results tend to vary wildly. full review

View more Paris Je T'aime reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • imshy004
  • gamblert
    December 26, 2007
    Download this movie from the best torrent tracker

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  • mistershinobi
    August 11, 2007
    Best film of 2007 SO FAR
  • ix3an1me
    July 11, 2007
    lol i love the vampire scene it's so cute,creepy but cute.the other one i liked was the gay scene XD he didnt know what he was talking about
  • jk2060
    June 3, 2007
    Beautiful shorts.
    This film explores the very characterisitc that makes us humans. LOVE. As beautiful or as corny as it may sound.
    The fantastic accomplishment is that it's never corny.
    I see reviews saying is not deep enough. For those fellas... what do you want people? Is a compilation of short films, not someone's biography on the big screen.
    And it doesn't matter. Sometimes love, (or what we might confuse with love being young and stupid) takes just a second. These shorts capture that very second, and so beautifully you become instantly infatuated with Paris. The films keep you wanting more, and that's exactly when you know how perfect it was.
  • jgrandison643
    May 3, 2007
    I love this movie, very original, im probably gonna buy it when it comes out on DVD =]
  • rudyrudy
    May 3, 2007
    Haven't seen it but I would sure like to.

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Paris Je T'aime Trivia


  • Which Movie does Steve Buscemi plays a tourist?  Answer »
  • Up to and including their 2006 segment in "Paris, je t'aime" the Coen Brothers have had all of these actors/actresses in their movies at least 5 times except  Answer »
  • How many story lines are in "Paris, Je T'aime?"  Answer »
  • In Paris Je T'aime, which actor stars as a tourist who becomes a vampire?  Answer »

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