Directed by
Various directors
103 minutes
Rated MA
Reviewed by
Sharon Hurst
New York I Love You
Synopsis: Ten different directors have each made an eight-minute film set in New York. The rules are that each story had to be visually identified with one or more New York neighborhoods; each had to involve some kind of love encounter; each director, along with his chosen DP and cast, would shoot for only two days but the production designer, costume designer and rest of crew would remain consistent throughout the entire project.A couple of years ago we had Paris Je T’Aime and it seems more are planned for this ‘cities I love’ series. These type of “omnibus” movies are a big challenge on every front, the biggest being whether the film can hang together as whole. This one doesn’t quite achieve that, but there is certainly joy to be had from several of the tales, along with a gorgeous look, mood and soundtrack.
For starters there are some truly iconic images of New York. We see endless yellow cabs zipping along through the illuminated night, the gleaming Chrysler building, of course Lady Liberty, countless sidewalks, and more, all so familiar from so many New York films. And then we have the enormous cast: some truly big names have got on board, along with a host of unknowns.
Some of the stories work better than others. The first directed by Mira Nair is about a diamond buyer (Natalie Portman, who also wrote and directed one of the segments) who is about to be married and happens to be a Hasidic Jew who has shaved off her hair. She goes to an Indian diamond merchant (Irfan Khan) and a truly touching fantasy sequence that bridges the cultural divide ensues. Next we have a heartbroken teenager taking the daughter of local pharmacist (James Caan) to the prom. A real surprise lurks at the end of this segment. Yvan Attal, more actor than director, takes on two pieces, both involving men and women chatting each other up on the sidewalk while smoking. Chris Cooper and Robin Wright Penn star in one tantalising episode with a surprise ending, while in the other, Ethan Hawke demonstrates his always-glib tongue.
Particularly poignant is Shekar Kapur’s direction of a piece starring the iconic Julie Christie as a retired opera singer staying in a fancy hotel and sharing a champagne with her bell-hop, Shia La Boeuf. For some reason, despite its odd climax, something in this segment touched me deeply. Similarly, the old couple Abe and Mitzie played by Eli Wallach and Chloris Leachman are a delight as they stroll to Brighton Beach and evoke the passing years and the enduring loving/nagging relationship they wear like a comfy coat.
Less successful is Shunji Wei’s story of a young composer (Orlando Bloom) trying to meet a deadline, and the tedious reappearance of Bradley Cooper hopping in and out of taxis in a couple of episodes rather irritated me. Also the attempt to tie it all together by a recurring character who is making a movie seemed a little contrived.
Despite moments of confusion at the multitudinous characters, and sometimes feeling short-changed in my favourite segments or a trifle bored by others, I found myself blown away by the incandescent look of this film. I truly felt the living pulse of this city in the way the various cinematographers captured the palpable excitement, beauty, activity and something more elusive – a sort of timeless, almost sad, quality that is often associated with ceaseless pursuit of love. All was made even more emotionally powerful by a stunningly lovely soundtrack.
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