2 Days in Paris

Directed by:
Written by:
Starring:

Julie Delpy
Julie Delpy
Julie Delpy
Adam Goldberg
Release Date: May 17, 2007 (Germany)
Julie Delpy does triple duty as writer, director and star of the comedy 2 Days in
Paris. Although at first it looks like is going to be another pointless romantic movie about
two lovers in France, 2 days in Paris is a very funny, very soulful and interesting look at
a slice of life of two characters having very different cultural backgrounds.
The two main characters of the movie are Marion and Jack. What is interesting in
this film are the national stereotypes that are somehow inflated to the level of intentional
absurdity. Marion is a French born photographer and she is portrayed as temperamental,
'allegedly' promiscuous, and sophisticated. She is living in New York with her boyfriend
Jack, who is an interior designer. Jack is portrayed as a neurotic, hypochondriacal, chainsmoking, heavily tattooed American. However, these stereotypes are not there only to
reinforce the difference in characterization; they become the cause of misunderstanding,
expectation, and of course self-realization.
After a markedly unromantic trip to Venice, which was planned to re-ignite the
passion in their relationship, they take a night train to Paris to pick up Marion's cat from
her parents and decide to stay for two days.
Unfortunately for Jack, Paris proves to be quite a cultural shock.
Some differences between the American and the French Cultures:
Alcohol consumption: it is well known that French people consume large
quantities of alcohol, and this is also underlined in the movie. At every gathering the wine
is present, and we can see Marion a little tipsy at her friends party.
Lack of inhibition: The naked human body is considered something of beauty and
is very much appreciated in France. In the same way, Americans are often seen as
somewhat prudish when it comes to displaying the naked human form. In 2 Days in Paris
we can see that advertisements and art in France are much more explicit; during the
movie there have been several examples, one of them being the pieces from the gallery of
Marions father. Also, most of the conversations between the French characters were
concentrated explicitly on their sexual preferences and on their love life.
Love of food: Cheeseburgers, hot dogs and French fries are the standard dishes in
America, and Jack demonstrates it very clearly when, after the fight he had with Marion
regarding her fidelity, he finds shelter in a fast food and manages to order a cheeseburger,
French fries and a Pepsi by showing a picture with the products to the cashier. On the
other hand, the French take their food very seriously. Food is to be enjoyed and savored
and one tends to linger over a meal as opposed to eat as quickly as possible. An
illustrating scene is the dinner of Jack with Marion and her parents, where he is offered
rabbit meat. When also offered carrots, he says ironically: So, were going to eat the
bunnys food, too?.

Jacks meeting with Marions parents

Marions discussions with the taxi drivers
Jacks jealousy and Marions parade of ex-lovers

Some cross-cultural differences found in the film

Solidarity
A word youll hear constantly in France is solidarity. It basically means banning
together to help each other fight for what they want both as individuals and as a group. It
means that the collective is more important and more powerful than the individual. In
contrast, in America it is the individual who matters and how that individual can effect
changes. The French believe that you must act as a group and fight for what you want as
a collective. To better the world requires group action. Americans on the other hand have
a strong sense of the power of the individual. They believe that an individual can make a
huge difference in the world be a hero, discover a cure, build a fortune, better a
community, or change the world. They also have a deeply engrained sense of sacrifice
sacrifice for their family, for their community, for their country and a deep belief in
personal responsibility and that their individual actions really matter. There has not been
proof of such behavior and beliefs for the French people. For them, it is the collective
action that ultimately makes a difference.
Art Appreciation
It's not that France promotes the arts. . .it's more that the entire culture
appreciates the fine arts and reveres France as the birthplace of many renowned
artists. Not only that, but France actively promotes French artists--be they
dancers, painters, or musicians. The government spends money on making sure
that French artistry is promoted and supported in all its forms. The Americans do
not understand art as French people do or are simply not that interested into it.
For the French people it is a way of living, for the Americans it is something they
can live without.

France versus America: The sex front

Despite the impression created in the movie, that the French are playing in
the field, a cross-cultural study finds that Americans go more for onenight stands and the French actuallyfavor long-term affairs

The study reveals that the French have fewer partners overall than Americans, maintain
more long-term committed relationships, are more likely to be monogamous (surprise!),
and enjoy more frequent sex. (Sixty-nine percent of single Frenchmen and 85 percent of
single Frenchwomen report fidelity to one single sexual partner, compared to 48 percent
of American men and 66 percent of American women.)
The eroticization of social relations has to do with the fact that it seems that the French
do not consider flirtation and seduction and romance as a direct sexual approach, and
that flirtation does not lead necessarily to sexual intercourse.
What might the Americans learn from the French in this regard?
Marriage is not the only honest and responsible way of bonding.

The Americans see the French as ...

Rude, anti-American and ungrateful, people who don't speak English, distant and
difficult to meet

Arrogant and conceited people, always giving lessons to the others

Dirty : people who do not use soap (recently, I received a message : "why do French
women use perfume instead of taking a bath?")
Highly unreliable

The French see the Americans as ...

Arrogant and sure they are always right and good

Insular : people who do not know other nations and whose press never addresses
international issues
Materialistic : people who are arch-capitalists and only think about money

.but they are actually.

French

Americans

are highly implicit

like what is complex
lying is no big deal
based on being a member of a group

are highly explicit

like what is simple
do not lie (it is bad)
social identity is based on the
individual

like grey zones and nuances ; very

creative ; very quick to react and
sometimes more inventive

process oriented : everything must

be clear and documented ; reacts
as planned

BEING : you are judged on what you are

DOING : you are judged on what

you do

the contract is strongly associated with the

relationship

a contract is not linked to the

relationship