2 Days In New York: Film Review

I know what you’re thinking: Chris Rock and Julie Delpy? That French lady? In a movie? Together? A good movie?

Yes, indeed, ladies and germs, a good movie. Occasionally, a great movie, which is known by the absurdly inadequate title of 2 Days In New York. The setup is quite standard: an unusual couple named Marion and Mingus (she’s a crusty white French woman, he’s an African American New York nerd) start what seems like a gloriously romantic relationship where it seems like they have no reason to be attracted to one another but they really, truly (and finally) seem to “get” somebody. Let the romancing begin.

And then her family drops in. Her very, very French family. All of her family. Drops by. In New York. It goes, how do you say . . . not so well?

Marion’s family is naturally quite taken with Mingus (he’s Chris Rock, for crap’s sake!) but he doesn’t reciprocate because the family’s arrival elicits parts of Marion’s persona he never knew existed. Suddenly, he’s beginning to wonder if she’s “the one”. Or if he even knows her at all. J’accuse!

The movie is both dramatic and comic in just the right combination. You would expect Julie Delpy and the other Frenchies to fit in seamlessly in this quirky offbeat drmaedy about transatlantic and biracial relationships. But Chris Rock is the real revelation here: for once, he is mercifully restrained, never once screaming one-liners at the audience, and totally underplaying his role to tremendous effect. Now that the 90s rom-com brigade of heroines like Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Drew Barrymore, and Sarah Jessica Parker have all graduated into full-time mommy mode, it may be time that we nominate a romantic comedy king. My vote goes to Chris Rock.