Paris Song Review

Paris Song Review

Paris Song, directed by Jeff Vespa, is a biographical period drama that stars Abbie Cornish, Ben Aldridge as composer/pianist George Gershwin and Sanjar Madi as Amre Kashaubayev.

 

Based on a true story, the film follows Amre on his journey from obscurity to recognition, starting as a small-time singer in his town in Kazakhstan before competing in the 1925 Paris Expo singing contest.  A fish-out-of-water due to cultural and class differences, Amre soon finds himself being welcomed with open arms by Paris’ musical elite, though it becomes apparent that not everyone is enthused by his talents.

Madi’s performance is brilliant, expressing the emotions, the wonder and the humility of the protagonist in such a believable, satisfying way.

The cinematography is well done with various techniques employed effectively, such as framing choices that highlight a character’s isolation, as well as point of view shots with quick pans and depth of field changes that help to position the audience as the protagonist.

Paris Song is an uplifting underdog story that showcases a likeable protagonist remaining humble in the face of popularity and success, leaving audiences with an inspiring, heartfelt message – if we just close our eyes and listen, everything is music.