It's not exactly like being there, but it sure is cheaper than the airfare...

Say what you will about the Frogs and some of our cultural differences. They'll always be able to say at least one thing that is indisputable--Paris is and will always be the most romantic city in the world.

The city of Paris is broken up into 20 districts, or arrondissements, and the film Paris, je t'aime tells separate short stories for each of these sectors from the perspective of 20 different directors. Well, actually only 18 since two of the segments didn't make it into the movie. Advertised as an opportunity for each director to send their own "love letter" to Paris, we get to see the City of Love through the eyes of a global array of critically acclaimed, but not quite widely known, filmmakers ranging from Americans such as the Coen Brothers to Mexican Alfonso Cuoron to a native countryman Gerard Depardieu.

Two or three of the segments didn't work for me at all. Christopher Doyle, who typically helms the cinematography duties for Wong Kar-Wai and other Chinese directors, goes out on his own to direct one truly bizarre story about a Chinese hair salon that convinced me he should leave writing and directing to the experts. And another segment directed by Sylvain Chomet (The Triplets of Belleville) revolved around the story of mimes finding love. Mimes--'nuff said. Ugh.

The rest of the film, however, effectively evokes a full spectrum of emotions and truly captures the spirit of the City of Love. A few easily recognizable actors, such as Nick Nolte, Elijah Wood, Natalie Portman, Bob Hoskins, Willem Dafoe and Steve Buscemi among others, make appearances, but never overshadow the charm of each story being told. Buscemi, in a short about an American tourist falling victim to his poor understanding of French language and customs in the Paris Metro, is the quirky comic relief for the movie, as would be expected by anything directed by the Coen Brothers. In another effective segment, Dafoe steps in as a heaven-sent cowboy to help a grieving mother deal with the death of her son. Perhaps the best segment, though, by Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways) involves a Denver postal woman reporting about her trip to Paris, accurately capturing the loneliness that any typical American might feel when first stepping foot in the streets of Paris, and following her journey as she finds the joys of not only Paris, but also life itself.

Now don't expect some Pulp Fiction/Crash like ending, where you find out that all these stories intersect--they don't. Each one is a gem to enjoy on its own terms. Treat it like reading a good collection of short stories. It may not be your typical movie-fare during this season of exploding robots, swashbuckling pirates, and web-slinging superheroes, but it's certainly something to consider on a rainy weekend afternoon or a romantic night out with your lady.