Looking at the Eiffel for the first time is magical. I speak from a miniscule version of my ‘Emily in Paris’ experience last year. It is worth all the exaggeration that movies have been doing forever & Instagram more recently. Emily brings Paris and Instagram together. The premise is a sure shot winner, It has Paris, fashion, wine, and a lot of good looking people with problems that are almost aspirational, so what’s there to not like?
Emily is a Chicago millennial who ‘accidently’ lands a job in a Parisian advertising firm. She is here to bring the ‘American perspective’ on advertising. While she is not received very well in her workplace but elsewhere she is quite a star. She makes friends on the go, she just shows up and all the rich, famous, good looking French men fall for her at the drop of a hat and her quite basic instagram selfies get her exponential followers in no time.
It is a catalogue of clichés, but for as long as the frames look beautiful, we play along. It is predictable with all standard rom-com elements. Hot neighbour, arrogant boss, quirky colleagues, one agony aunt like friend etc. But with small problems, quick solutions, fast escalations happening in short 20- 30 minute episodes, it gets over before it could get boring.
What works for Emily in Paris is that it is timed perfectly when even a virtual ticket to Paris feels rewarding. It’s breezy and optimistic, as I said, probably just what we need right now.
Lily Collins brings Emily alive on screen with her enthusiasm and radiance. What could have been borderline annoying manages to stay entertaining through this carefree vibe of the show. Mindy (Ashley Park) brings in the wit and diversity, but I wish there was more of her. Lucas Bravo as Gabriel is that dreamy hot guy you wish to meet on your solo trips to Europe, he really does brighten up the screen.
With a nice cast and a brisk pace, it is an easy indulgent watch.
If pretentious and frivolous is not a deal breaker, this is a worth a quick binge.
Going with 3/5 cutting for this one.
