2 Days in New York is a hilarious film about a couple, played by Julie Delpy, who also wrote and directed, and Chris Rock, get a visit from the girlfriend’s father, sister and first boyfriend, and the visit turns their lives upside down. Practice makes perfect as Delpy’s sequel to 2 Days in Paris succeeds and surpasses the first film by every measurable criteria. Delpy recognizes what worked in her first film, amplifies it and captures the rhythm of her own brand of broad humor without losing the originality of her story.
2 Days in New York nails the language, cultural, racial and sexual divide with a lighter touch that makes the characters seem more human and loving, but somehow is still consistent with the first film’s original character foibles. Until the last fifteen minutes, the movie has nonstop, funny tableaus that do not detract from the disorienting way that people who have embarked on a life together can still learn new things about others, including your massage therapist, and yourself if conditions change slightly. These light, subtle moments of understanding in the midst of disgust and chaos imbue this film with more generosity than its predecessor.
What really impressed me about 2 Days in New York is how Delpy accurately captured how black people are actually more conservative and have a lower threshold for certain behavior, but manage the boundaries in a firm and lighter way than most people. Rock isn’t listed as a writer in the film, but I’m sure that he had some input. Delpy also captures the nonstop benevolent racism of automatically thinking all minorities are cool or understands that some compliments are actually insults because they fail to see the person that is actually in front of you. It is unusual to see a film made by a director who is not black yet still captures micro-aggressions perfectly without excusing it or losing the humor. 2 Days in New York is also a nice reminder of when America was briefly, internationally admired and reminds viewers of a more optimistic time.
Not everything is imbued with meaning, but is just funny such as the tyranny of repairmen being able to come and go and get what they want because they monopolize a skill that no one has. The girlfriend’s anger is still there, but the father’s oddness is toned down and exchanged for benevolent eccentricity rooted in a more realistic interaction with other characters. For example, the father is grossed out by Manu! The sister’s casual nudity is NOT just a French thing. The toothbrush gag is hilarious, “She’s your sister, and you’ve seen them both naked!” I mourn that the ten sausages and eight cheeses did not make it to them, but at least Jean Luc is OK!
The last fifteen minutes with a brief artsy fartsy cameo destroys the momentum in an effort to sum up the entire movie with somber reflection and angst, but does not completely derail 2 Days in New York. To fully appreciate this film, you have to see 2 Days in Paris, but if you just can’t bear it, 2 Days in New York is a great film on its own and will have you screaming with laughter and joy.