| In his new drama, Paris, Cédric Klapisch peels away the tourist-friendly postcard veneer of the City of Lights. His depiction of the French capital is entirely human – the beautiful inextricably melds with the ugly, and the lives of strangers paradoxically intersect.
In this mosaic of chance encounters, we come to know Roland Verneuil (Fabrice Luchini,) a Sorbonne professor, conducting an affair with one of his students; his brother Philippe Verneuil (François Cluzet,) an architect and father-in-waiting; a group of market stallholders, including an estranged couple; an African immigrant, guided to France by a postcard of Notre Dame; and a xenophobic baker.
Gazing down upon them all from his balcony window and observing their daily activities, however, is Pierre (Romain Duris,) a young dancer suddenly struck down with serious heart disease. It is through the open windows of Pierre’s apartment that the vista of the city is captured – an immense panorama, composed of minute details, coloured in hues of hope and regret.
Klapisch’s representation of Paris is haunting, filmic poetry. In evoking the histories of his characters, their troubles, hopes and destinies, paradox reveals itself to be the director’s supreme motivation – the routine and banality of the city are captured alongside tinctures of irony and comicality. The artistry of numerous hand-held camera sequences and secretive close ups are matched by poignant, minimalist piano melodies, as well as Wax Tailor’s eclectic and absolutely fitting Seize the Day.
Juliette Binoche, who plays Pierre’s sister Élise, is perhaps the standout selection of an altogether well-known French ensemble. Her pragmatism and staunch determination aptly contrast against a sentiment and nostalgic Pierre. Through their portrayal of siblings who may shortly be separated from one another, Klapisch exposes the solitude and tenderness of a struggle with illness.
Subtle, evocative and occasionally dark, Paris is a thoroughly artistic exploration of the hidden, mysterious corners of a famous city and the lives of its residents. | 
