A good idea before watching a film sequel would be to check out the original, imagine watching Return of The Jedi without knowing that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker's father (apologies if I've spoiled that for anybody). Well, I agreed to watch 2 Days in New York today without any idea that it was the follow-up to 2 Days In Paris, a French film about relationships, I found out. Horrified that I had been tricked into watching (what i assumed was) a Romance film, I was expecting the worst, but this was actually quite funny, not as funny as The Dictator, but certainly not a romance, more of a drama about mad families.
Chris Rock plays Mingus and Julie Delpy plays Marion, a couple in their late 30s who both have kids from previous relationships. They're a classic middle-class couple, living in a nice New York apartment and both with good jobs. However, Marion's family from France quickly arrives to visit her, and all sorts of madness ensues, from the younger sister who is constantly craving sex (with anyone), to the sister's boyfriend, who brings drug dealers back to the apartment. The film is like a sophisticated version of Meet The Parents, and without a doubt the only time I've seen Chris Rock in a serious role, playing a responsible guardian in the film rather than the comedian we all know and love, but it works. The film doesn't directly follow on from the original, (or so my friends told me, they could have just been lying), so you can watch it as a stand-alone film, I certainly enjoyed it. Surprisingly good.
7/10
