As far as sequels go, especially unplanned (ie: not intended from the start of production on the original) sequels, it's rare that lightning strikes twice. The result is either a boring and/or rushed retread of the original, or a delightful surprise that may even be better than the original. And then there are those total anomalies, like "New York, I Love You". A followup to the art-house smash "Paris, Je'Taime" (2007), which was built on short films directed and starring dozens of names, the New York chapter in the possible series-to-come of "cities of love" anthologies is an oddity because it isn't exactly a failure or success. Lightning a seems to have struck twice, but simply with much less impact this time around.
One of the biggest changes in New York is its overall construction. In the Paris film, each short film was told in entirety, followed by a few establishing shots to introduce the neighborhood of Paris where the next film would take place. With this structure, the film was able to give each story a sense of standalone power, which is sadly missing in New York. The New York film sees characters from different story threads crossing paths in odd ways, and some shorts start in one place and then pick up at a different point further along. The intention was most likely to give a greater sense of coherence, but to me that seems to defeat the purpose, which is to emphasize the different angles of the city that each director wishes to showcase. While some of the short bits are fun (Chris Cooper's first appearance has a great ending), the parts of the film that succeed the best are those that are told in their entirety, namely Shekar Kapur's story of the relationship between a former opera star (Julie Christie) and a crippled bellhop (Shia Labeouf). It's a beautiful and mysterious piece that, due to not being broken up by interludes and other stories, is able to achieve better impact while also imparting a sense of closure. A case of the opposite effect? A short involving Justin Bartha and Eva Amurri, which I'm pretty sure barely clocked in at 2 minutes; what a waste! But even in its best moments, there's something about the New York installment that doesn't hold up. Plot development is sometimes foggy and mired in dully executed dialogue (case-in-point: opening short with Hayden Christensen and Andy Garcia). And unlike the Paris installment, the failures really do feel like failures. Paris had its odd moments (the crazy Asian salon, the Elijah Wood vampire story...) but there was at least something weirdly compelling about them. Sadly, when New York messes up, it messes up in a noticeable way, and by the time the hour and 40 minute film is over, you'll be ready to leave the theater. It's a shame, really, because if any city should have been able to produce a worthy successor to "Paris Je'Taime", it was New York, but the fire just isn't there. Perhaps it would be best if the film were retitled: New York, I Kind of Enjoy You...But Not Too Much
Grade: B-/C+
