New York, I Love You (2009)

Several love stories set in one of the most loved cities of the world, New York.

Directors:

Fatih Akin, Yvan Attal,

Writers:

Hu Hong (segment), Yao Meng (segment),

Stars:

Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Natalie Portman

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bradley Cooper	...	Gus (segment "Allen Hughes")
Justin Bartha	...	Justin, Sarah's Boyfriend (transitions 'Randy Balsmeyer')
Andy Garcia	...	Garry (segment "Wen Jiang")
Hayden Christensen	...	Ben (segment "Wen Jiang")
Rachel Bilson	...	Molly (segment "Wen Jiang")
Natalie Portman	...	Rifka (segment "Mira Nair)
Irrfan Khan	...	Mansukhbhai (segment "Mira Nair)
Emilie Ohana	...	Zoe, the Video Artist (transitions 'Randy Balsmeyer')
Orlando Bloom	...	David (segment "Shunji Iwai")
Christina Ricci	...	Camille (segment "Shunji Iwai")
Maggie Q	...	Call Girl (segment "Yvan Attal")
Ethan Hawke	...	Writer (segment "Yvan Attal")
Anton Yelchin	...	Boy in the Park (segment "Brett Ratner")
James Caan	...	Mr. Riccoli , the Pharmacist (segment "Brett Ratner")
Olivia Thirlby	...	Actress (segment "Brett Ratner")

Storyline

Ten vignettes in New York City: a pickpocket meets his match; a young Hasidic woman, on the eve of her marriage, reveals herself to an Indian businessman; a writer tries a pick-up line; an artist seeks a model; a composer needs to read; two women connect; a man takes a child to Central Park; lovers meet; a couple takes a walk on their anniversary; a kid goes to the prom with a girl in a wheelchair; a retired singer contemplates suicide. There are eight million stories in the naked city: these have been ten of them.

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Plot Keywords:

anniversary | writer | park | artist | diamond | 

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Taglines:

every moment another story begins

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Cantonese Gujarati Yiddish

Release Date:

16 October 2009 (Spain)

Also Known As:

New York, je t'aime

Filming Locations:

Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,700,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$380,776 (USA) (16 October 2009)

Gross:

$1,585,859 (USA) (18 December 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Vivendi Entertainment, Ever So Close, Visitor Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Two actresses who have played love interests of Hayden Christensen (who also appears in this film) are in this film: Natalie Portman and Rachel Bilson.

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Goofs

Natalie Portman's character, while discussing the rules of kosher, states she cannot eat "nothing that's not blessed by a rabbi." This is a common error - the production of kosher food is overseen by a rabbi, but the final products are not blessed.

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Quotes

Writer: [after lighting her cigarette] We share a flame, thousands of tiny molecules are heating up right now, they're penetrating our brain. Alright, they're stimulating our sexual desire. I mean, I don't know about you, but I find that shit very romantic. And you know, I'm so glad you walked over here because now I can feel a little bit more comfortable to tell you that I happen to be on the forefront of men able to find and locate a woman's G-spot, and I could - I could do that for you.
Call Girl: [...]

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Episode dated 17 October 2009 (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Sarabande"
(1884)
(from Holberg Suite, Op.40)
Written by Edvard Grieg
Arrangement by Shunji Iwai

User Reviews

A nice idea comes up short

A few years ago Paris je t'aime, or Paris, I Love You came out featuring some amazing talents like the Coen brothers, Alfonso Cuaron, Gus Van Sant, and Alexander Payne. It consisted of 20 very short films, each with their own unique style and storyline, only they all shared the same setting of Paris. Three years later, another group of filmmakers and writers, including the late, great Anthony Minghella, decided to make a film consisting of short vignettes called New York, I Love You.

The idea is nice. It's endearing how a group of people can come together and present several different stories about a place that they love.

(Pause for nice, smiling moment)

Okay, back to the film. Now that we can agree that this is a nice idea, I think it's time to get serious. Much like Paris je t'aime, there are parts of this film that are nice. Still, overall I can't help but disagree with the construction of this film. I thought the stories were clever, but if I liked the story I didn't like the acting, or if I liked the acting, the directing was off. It was a never-ending stream of likes and dislikes.

There are some interesting segments. Brett Ratner's segment about a teenager trying to go to prom is clever and entertaining, starring Anton Yelchin, Olivia Thirlby, and James Caan. I thought Caan gave the most honest performance in the whole film. He had the look and most of all the sound of a New Yorker. I was even impressed with Natalie Portman's segment which follows a man looking after a young girl in Central Park.

There was nothing that blew me away like some of the parts of Paris, je t'aime. There was nothing here that made me say, "Wow!" For a film like this nice just doesn't cut it. I can forgive a few bad shorts for one or two really good ones. At least I can take something away from the film. I all took away from this were the various settings that New York City has to offer.

Making a compilation film is risky. One bad egg can spoil the rest, or in this case a lot of mediocre eggs can make for a bland film. New York, I Love You has a lot of potential, but doesn't pull it off.