Released on Wednesday June 12, “Paradis Paris” marks the return of Marjane Satrapi (“Persepolis”) to the cinema. But what did the spectators think of this choral comedy about death?
His last achievement dates back to 2020 and the days preceding the first confinement. Four years later, Marjane Satrapi is back in our theaters. The biopic Radioactive dedicated to Marie Curie is now followed by Paradis Paris.
An ensemble comedy that takes place in the present day, and which talks about death (and therefore life) and loneliness in the capital. With a cast in which we meet Monica Bellucci, André Dussollier and Alex Lutz.
But what did spectators think of the sixth feature film directed by Marjane Satrapi, revealed with Persepolis?
With an average of 2.7 out of 5 obtained from 38 ratings, Paradis Paris is the fourth best film of its filmmaker. Or the second worst, quite far ahead of La Bande des Jotas (2 out of 5) and just behind Radioactive (3 out of 5).
They liked
Séverine (5 out of 5): “This film is a beautiful statement about Paris. Marjane Satrapi, the director, celebrates a city of light and cosmopolitan where accents and cultures mix, from Italy to Spain via Colombia. Even if the common thread is ‘death’, each protagonist will take us to a beautiful story of an ode to life!”
Marine V (5 out of 5): “Bright, funny, touching film! The music is beautiful and accompanies the film perfectly. Paris is superb!”
Even if the common thread is ‘death’, each protagonist will take us towards a beautiful story of an ode to life!
Guigalim (5 out of 5): “Live, funny, touching. A film that knows how to strike several chords. Beautiful views of Paris.”
They didn’t like
selénie (2 out of 5): “Marjane Satrapi’s goal is clear and clear: to pay homage to Paris, the City of Light, which she sees as free, happy, multicultural and cosmopolitan. Unfortunately, the director is not very clever and lacks creativity.
The director no longer seems to have the slightest ounce of imagination. Where have the humor and relevance of “Persepolis” (2007) gone?! Where has the madness and audacity of “The Voices” (2014) gone?! Sluggish in substance as well as in form, this forgettable film will unfortunately and certainly be quickly forgotten.”
Pierre P. (2 out of 5): “There’s no point hoping to find something of the funniness of Persepolis, here everything is too written to hit the mark. Of course the whole thing has a few situations that work and touch us, a few lines that hit the mark but everything is too written, too forced and as it’s a bit disjointed, we get lost.
Finally, the acting of the actors and actresses does not help (Bellucci did not convince me, neither did Dussollier and the others remained prisoners of fairly conventional roles).”
Sluggish in substance as well as in form, this forgettable film will unfortunately and certainly be quickly forgotten
Philip V (2 out of 5): “This Satrapi is a disappointment. A collage of different stories that doesn’t work. Very bad acting direction means that even Lutz is not good! I still had to laugh several times but the lines are often predictable. I’m going to reread Persepolis and Chicken with Plums which I loved so much.”
Thomas G. (0.5 out of 5): “Very long film, without head or tail, without any meaning, to be avoided, wants to be funny without being so.”
In summary
Thanks to Marjane Satrapi, Paris is magical, if we are to believe the most positive reviews, which also highlight the funniness of this ode to life. But humor is still debated. And if the detractors of the feature film admit to having (smiled) at times, they highlight the inequality of the whole in all aspects.
And the comparison with the director’s previous works, notably Persepolis, does not work in favor of Paradis Paris.
And you ? What did you think of this film?
*Notes closed on Thursday June 13, 2024
