“2 Days in New York” – Review by MovieManMenzel

The perfect companion piece to follow 2 Days in Paris

2 Days in New York is the sort of follow up or “sequel” if you will to Julie Delpy’s 2 Days in Paris. If you didn’t see 2 Days in Paris, no worries the film gives you a small glimpse back on the film, but fear not it isn’t necessary to see the previous film to “get” this one. 2 Days in New York tells the story of Marion (Julie Delpy) who has moved from Paris to New York with her son but has decided to leave her husband behind. Marion gets a job at the Voice where she meets her new boyfriend Mingus played by Chris Rock. All seems to be fine and dandy in their daily lives until Marion’s family comes to visit from France. This is when all hell breaks loose and laughs awkwardly ensue…

It took me a long time to finally sit down and watch 2 Days in Paris, which I will admit was extremely uncomfortable to watch with my girlfriend because some of the subject matter hit a bit “too close to home” but in all fairness was a really well made and honest film about relationships. When I first read about this “sequel” and its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, I was intrigued to see it, but I felt like it was going to be more of the same. Luckily, this isn’t the case at all, 2 Days in New York stands on its own as a film and focuses more heavily on the laughs instead of heavy relationship drama with a few laughs mixed in.

It’s truly amazing how much I enjoyed 2 Days in New York because it’s basically just a film about a crazy French family visiting New York. The surprise here is that the film is written for a mature audience and the jokes happen fast and often. Julie Delpy has crafted a film that creates a host of characters who are likable, funny, and well developed. Every character pulls their own weight and plays an important role in the film. If you have seen 2 Days in Paris, you will know most of the characters within this film outside of Mingus and the smaller secondary characters.

My favorite character within the film has to be Marion’s father Jeannot played by Delpy’s real life father Albert. The character is funny because he is just how you would picture a Frenchman visiting New York City. There are some scenes with Jeannot that are simply funny because they really showcase how American culture and language differ from that of the French. I also really enjoyed Marion’s sister Rose (Alexia Landeau) in this film much more than I did in the original film. She gets more backstory and has a bigger impact on Marion which as a combo makes the character shine.

I can’t end this review without mentioning Chris Rock because as Mingus he plays a character that I have never seen him play before. Rock has always been known for playing foul-mouthed, loud characters but here he plays a smart and rational character which showcases a side to Rock that most have never seen before. Seeing Rock in this film made me appreciate him more as an actor and based on the crowd’s reaction at the screening tonight I wasn’t the only one.

In Conclusion, 2 Days in New York is the perfect follow-up to 2 Days in Paris. It has a very Woody Allen feel to it and uses humor that is smart and well written. While this film isn’t anything groundbreaking, it tells a simple story that is geared towards adults with a brain who understand relationships, cultures, and just how crazy families can be. It’s a fun time at the movies and one that sadly so few will see, but for those who do they will more than likely appreciate what Delpy has to offer as she clearly knows how to hold her own as a writer, director, and yes, even an actor.

MovieManMenzel’s final rating for 2 Days in New York is a solid 8 out of 10.