Parents' Guide to

Paris Can Wait

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Light, breezy romcom will make you want to go to France.

Movie PG 2017 92 minutes
Paris Can Wait Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

F Letcher
F Letcher Parent of 13-year-old
May 30, 2021
age 14+

Try something else

This film feels more like a doco-drama of French gastronomy than an actual movie. The plot is listless and unexciting, the characters are not particularly endearing and the ending is left up to your imagination. Don't bother!

This title has:

Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

PARIS CAN WAIT finds Anne (Diane Lane) and her affectionate-but-too-busy/distracted Hollywood producer husband, Michael (Alec Baldwin), on their final day of a business sojourn in Cannes. Due to an unexpected, work-related detour for Michael, they discover they might not be able to make it to their next destination, Paris, right away. Anne is already suffering from an earache that could very easily get worse if she flies, so she opts to take the train instead. But then Jacques (Arnaud Viard), Michael's French colleague, persuades her to let him drive her to Paris instead, where Michael will meet her. Along the way, Anne's irritation at Jacques' distractable, sometimes-tone-deaf ways are replaced by a delight in the photos she takes, the moments she's able to enjoy, and a growing appreciation for Jacques' love of food, beauty, conversation, and the road less traveled.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This dramedy has a languorous charm likely to remind viewers that the road less traveled (both literally and metaphorically) may be the tonic you need in a work-focused, social-media-laden world. Aside from the travelogue-worthy scenes of France and the meals that the movie (and Anne) seems to be obsessed with -- she takes beautiful photos of everything, including her food and wine -- Lane is the best part of Paris Can Wait. She's graceful, magnetic, and expressive -- the film almost feels like a sequel to her popular Under the Tuscan Sun.

But here's the downside: Paris Can Wait doesn't really deal with anything that hasn't been exhaustively explored before on film (including in the previously mentioned Under the Tuscan Sun). The unease that Anne feels, both in her decent-but-distracted marriage and as an empty nester (her daughter is in college), is neither new nor surprising. Nor is it enough of an engine to fuel a possible indiscretion, especially with someone who, though he may be attentive, cosmopolitan, and appealing, also appears to be somewhat hobbled by a retrograde sense of relationships and his own set of work frustrations, which could later balloon into the same problems that pull Michael away. Still, don't wait too long to see Paris Can Wait -- it's a fun, gustatory, eye-candy watch.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Familes can talk about what Paris Can Wait is saying about what's really important in life. Workaholic Michael is compared to laid-back Jacques, who makes time for things like food, conversation, and friendship. Who "wins"? Do you agree? Why? What does Anne learn about life -- and herself -- over the course of the movie?

  • How does the film convey the importance of communication between people? Why is that an important character strength?

  • How are drinking and smoking depicted? Are they glamorized?

  • Are the problems that the characters wrestle with here relatable to people of all walks of life and economic status? How does that affect who it will appeal to?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate