Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel’s Lost in Paris is a delightfully offbeat comedy. Fans of the duo will know what to expect, and others will be pleasantly surprised.
Fiona visits Paris for the first time, to help her ailing aunt Martha. Disaster ensues when she first reaches Paris, thanks in part to Dom, a homeless man not afraid to express himself…
Writers, directors and stars Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel have made films together before, but Lost in Paris sees the first time that the pair work just as a duo. It is a successful outing. The duo combine their talent for physical comedy with a narrative that works well to engage viewers.
The story is told in sections, from the points of view of each of the three main characters. After this, the narrative develops as their strands are already entwined. Fiona is a great introduction to the world created by the film, being an outsider herself. The introduction of each of the main characters is amusing, from Fiona’s eager tourist to Dom’s unusual lifestyle, and Martha’s need to getaway.
Lost in Paris relies quite heavily on physical comedy. This works well, given the skills of Gordon and Abel. Gags that occur earlier on do come full circle later in the film; Fiona’s tumble into the Seine being a prime example of this. There is also plenty of humour in the dialogue, with Dom’s speech at the funeral being a high point of the film. Later, the film does leave room for reflection. Gordon and Abel handle this in a considered way.
Fiona Gordon is wonderful as Fiona, and is matched ably by Dominique Abel. The late Emmanuelle Riva shows off her comedy chops in the film, showing that she was as adept in this genre as she was in drama. Lost in Paris is a very watchable comedy which illustrates the talents of its filmmakers.
Lost in Paris is released in UK cinemas on 24th November 2017.
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