Lost in Paris: An Ode to Charlie Chaplin

Courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories.

Lost in Paris is an indie film from a husband-and-wife team that pays an homage to the days of the silent film star, Charlie Chaplin, through the antics of their lead characters.

Written and directed by Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon, Lost in Paris stars Abel, Gordon, Emmanuelle Riva, and Pierre Richard.

Not familiar with the duo going into this movie, I was unsure of what I should expect.  It stars Gordan as a librarian from Canada and Abel as a homeless tramp who finds Fiona’s belongings.  Living in Canada, Fiona recieves a letter from her 88-year-old aunt, Martha (Riva, in one of her final films).  Riva lives in Paris and as such, Fiona drops what she’s doing in Canada and heads across the pond only to discover that her aunt has gone missing.

Her time in Paris being nothing but a disaster so far, she meets Dom while eating at a dining establishment.  He’s wearing her sweater but she doesn’t realize that it’s HER SWEATER.  While most people wouldn’t be fine with someone that won’t stop pestering them, Fiona apparently doesn’t mind that these strange person doesn’t let her be.

Fiona isn’t an adventurer or a romantic which makes her character’s actions all the more humorous.  While trying to take a picture with the Eiffel Tower in the background, the weight of Fiona’s backpack causes her to dive into the water.  After this happens, you know you’re in for a treat!

Dom comes off as obnoxious at first but we get used to him as a character and start to see more humanity to him.  If he doesn’t get up and asks everyone to dance with him, there’s a strong chance that he never meets Fiona–and at that point, there wouldn’t be a film.

Abel and Gordon’s career is defined by their slapstick material and this film doesn’t disappoint on that one.  They placed their performance at the heart of story, which takes place over the course of two days and two nights.  Essential things that happen in life are pointed out through humor in the movie.

Whether it’s the historical center or modern city, Paris plays a big role in this movie–be it through Fiona’s eyes as a tourist or Dom’s eyes as a homeless man.

Following its world premiere at the 2016 Telluride Film Festival, Oscilloscope Laboratories opens Lost in Paris in at the Sunshine Cinema in New York on Friday, June 16, 2017.  It will start playing at the Gene Siskel Film Center on July 7, 2017.  Please check here to see if or when it will be playing in your city.

Danielle Solzman

Danielle Solzman is native of Louisville, KY, and holds a BA in Public Relations from Northern Kentucky University and a MA in Media Communications from Webster University. She roots for her beloved Kentucky Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Boston Celtics. Living less than a mile away from Wrigley Field in Chicago, she is an active reader (sports/entertainment/history/biographies/select fiction) and involved with the Chicago improv scene. She also sees many movies and reviews them. She has previously written for Redbird Rants, Wildcat Blue Nation, and Hidden Remote/Flicksided. From April 2016 through May 2017, her film reviews can be found on Creators.

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