Although the Marvel Cinematic Universe has hit somewhat of a downward slump in recent years, one of the actors who remains committed to the franchise has been Loki himself,Tom Hiddleston. While many of his co-stars, includingRobert Downey Jr.andChris Evans, have exited the universe in order to pursue different opportunities, Hiddleston has continued to push Loki’s character development forward, resulting insome of the most profound moments in the history of the MCU. It’s a role that Hiddleston has become synonymous with, as he’s now played the “God of Mischief” for over a decade. In fact, Hiddleston’s Marvel work has been so great that it’s easy to forget that he’s a very versatile actor with an extensive filmography of other classics. Shortly before he made his debut as Loki in the firstThorfilm,Hiddleston gave a charismatic performance asThe Great Gatsbyauthor F. Scott Fitzgerald in the romantic comedyMidnight in Paris.
Midnight in Paris
While on a trip to Paris with his fiancée’s family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.
What Is ‘Midnight in Paris’ About?
Midnight Parisfollows the lonely writer Gil Pender (Owen Wilson), a hopelessly nostalgic fan of classical literature who is on an elaborate vacation to Paris with his fiancée Inez (Rachel McAdams). Although he is looking forward to seeing the city he has idealized in all of its glory, Gil finds himself at a bit of a crossroads with the woman he is engaged. Gil loves appreciating history and art from the past, but Inez is entirely materialistic and seems to ignore her fiancée’s real interests. Although it begins as a fairly standard romantic comedy,Midnight in Parisbecomesa time-travel adventureset in Paris of the 1920s. After a lonely walk at night, Gil finds that the clocks wind back nearly a century to the era of Paris’ cultural peak.
Gil is overjoyed by his discovery, as he finally gets to meet the authors of the “Lost Generation” that have been so influential upon his own career as a writer. Although the film featuresCorey StollasErnest Hemingway, Adrien BrodyasSalvador Dalí,andKathy BatesasGertrude Stein,Hiddleston’s performance as Fitzgerald is critical to the plot ofMidnight in Paris. Although Gil is overjoyed by the opportunity to meet a man whom he considers to be a genius, he finds that Fitzgerald has come to doubt his future prospects, andfaces struggles with his writing.It makes for an interesting character study about the universality of the craft; by helping Fitzgerald find inspiration in his own life, Gil begins to reflect on his own career with a newfound energy.
The depiction of this generation is interesting becauseMidnight in Parisis not a traditional biopic of Fitzgerald. The audience gets to experience Fitzgerald’s life from the perspective ofthe fictional character Gil, who has to assess his hero for the man that he is, and not the popular reputation that he has earned. This makesMidnight in Parisa thoughtful analysis of Fitzgerald’s legacy, as it doesn’t spend time explaining his most significant achievements. It’s merely a brief glimpse into what his life may or may not have looked like, filtered through the perspective of his greatest admirer. It’s only after learning that Fitzgerald is human, and thus fallible, that Gil realizes that he has somewhat idealized a lifestyle that he knows very little about.
Tom Hiddleston Is a Scene-Stealer in ‘Midnight in Paris'
Midnight in Parisis a deeply emotional story, and the strong chemistry between Wilson andMcAdams makes the time travel aspect more heartbreaking. While it was important for the film to focus on the negative effects that living in a different time period could have,Hiddleston’s performance adds an appropriate amount of humor toMidnight in Paris. While he never becomes a caricature of the great author, his flamboyant, charismatic persona makes it very entertaining once Fitzgerald begins to interact with the other writers. Although their works would all go on to dramatically reshape both the art of literature and American culture throughout the 20th century, it’s entertaining to see authors like Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Dali engage in social situations and share petty rivalries.
The interactions between Gil and Fitzgerald are particularly interesting, asMidnight in Parishints at the chemistry thatWilson and Hiddleston would have inLoki. The dynamic between a lowly Time Variance Authority operative like Mobius and the literal God of Mischief is part of the reason whyLokifelt like such a breath of fresh air in the superhero genre. Despite their vastly different backgrounds, the two characters find that they share many desires and anxieties. The relationship between Gil and Fitzgerald is similar, as both men realize that their obsession with living in the past has made them blind to the status of their current relationships.
‘Midnight in Paris’ Hints at ‘The Great Gatsby'
While he would not complete his masterpiece until 1925,Midnight in Parisexamines the inspirations that would drive Fitzgerald to writeThe Great Gatsby.Throughout the film, Fitzgerald begins to feel disillusioned by the wealth and excess of his community, feeling that his peers are perpetrating a movement that is not bound to last. This is a perspective that the character of Jay Gatsby begins to develop in both the novel andBaz Luhrmann’s stylized adaptation.Similarly, Gil’s perspective of an outsider encroaching on the community reflects a similar one to the character of Nick Carraway.
Midnight in Parisisn’t the only cinematic depiction of Fitzgerald, asGuy Pearceportrayed the author in the underrated 2016 dramaGenius.However,Midnight in Parisis a more complex assessment of Fitzgerald’s legacy than any straightforward adaptation could ever be, as it is free from the parameters of his most important achievements.It’s one of Hiddleston’s greatest performances, as he’s able to craft a nuanced portrayal of one of literature’s greatest artists. Although Fitzgerald is clearly an author worthy of significant admiration, Hiddleston turns him into a character worthy of empathy.
Midnight in Parisis now available to rent on Amazon.
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