Review: Lost in Paris

LOST IN PARIS: the title suggests a travel movie, but that is the most excitement you would expect. But Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel have really brought spice to such a simple title. Perhaps it's the chemistry that the writer/director/actor duo has brought to the project: not only are they partners in life, but partners in art and comedy, and it translates to the screen beautifully.

This dynamic duo has created a quaint, awkwardly hilarious film based in physical comedy -- every second will either have you laughing out loud or grinning in delight. The majority of the film takes place in -- you guessed it -- Paris, but with little dialogue, the story proves to be pretty universal, simply depicting a lost traveler, her smitten new acquaintance, and her addled aunt.

Fiona (Fiona Gordon) lives in a blustery, snow-covered village in Canada. Ever since her aunt Martha (Emmanuelle Riva) moved there when she was little, she has wanted to go to Paris. And she finally gets her chance when, about 40 years later, her aunt sends a cry for help in the form of a ragged, trash-soaked letter, worried that she will be put in a nursing home. Fiona journeys to Paris to help her aunt, but once she gets there, Aunt Martha is nowhere to be found. A fall in the river causes Fiona's backpack to get lost downstream, including her purse and passport. Dom (Dominique Abel), an earnest homeless man with a tendency for lucky circumstances, finds her backpack, and -- after spending Fiona's money and wearing her clothes -- decides to help the poor woman find her aunt. Meanwhile, Aunt Martha is wandering the streets of Paris and stirring up trouble.

With vibrant colors and comical insight into everyday mundanity, the beauty of LOST IN PARIS is that we get to know these characters with so little dialogue. While Fiona does know some French, the language barrier provides a fresh canvas for a uniquely awkward humor -- though we're hardly able to classify it as slapstick, it is ingrained in the movement of the characters. Don't miss this hilarious film! Now playing at Midtown Cinema.