Manhattan Murder Mystery

Tags

1990's, Alan Alda, Anjelica Huston, Comedy, Diane Keaton, Jerry Adler, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Murder Mystery, Woody Allen

Film Title

Manhattan Murder Mystery

Director

Woody Allen

Starring

• Woody Allen as Larry Lipton
• Diane Keaton as Carol Lipton
• Alan Alda as Ted
• Anjelica Huston as Marcia Fox
• Jerry Adler as Paul House

Something of an underrated movie in the scope of Woody Allen’s prolific filmography, Manhattan Murder Mystery has a rapid fire humour and playfulness that is hard to resist. If it’s a light but still amusing comedy, crossed with a murder mystery, this could be the film for you. It isn’t going to be seen as one of his masterpieces, but in my book it deserves a lot more recognition.

Larry and Carol Lipton are a middle-aged married couple who are anything but similar. Larry is a nervous, cynical man stuck in a cycle, while Carol is adventurous and loves a sense of excitement. The couple have settled into a period of normalcy that is more or less dullness and complacency. Larry works as a publisher, while Carol dreams of opening a restaurant some day. The repetitive nature of their lives is suddenly changed when their elderly neighbour’s(an elderly couple named Paul and Lillian House) invite them to have a nightcap. Lillian is a remarkably healthy woman for her age, her husband Paul is a stamp collector, who proceeds to bore Larry to tears as he waxes lyrical about his hobby. The next day, Larry and Carol are shocked when is found dead of a heart attack. Feeling strange since they only just met the couple and because seemed so healthy, Carol in particular becomes a little suspicious of Paul. For one, he doesn’t seem at all to be an emotional wreck at his wife’s death, rather he appears to be rejuvenated and overly genial. Certain other things arouse Carol’s interest and she comes to suspect Paul of murdering his wife. Nebbish Larry dismisses her claims as fanciful but Carol sees it as an opportunity to do some sleuthing. Her good friend and recently divorced charmer Ted joins her in this amateur investigation, which makes Larry a little jealous because it is obvious Paul has feelings for Paul and she could possibly reciprocate. After being caught in many close shaves investigating the mysterious Paul, Carol manages to coerce Larry into helping, albeit reluctantly. Also of help is the sexy Marcia Fox, a mystery author and one of Larry’s clients who he plans to set up with Ted. Carol though begins to think that Marcia is more interested in making a move on her husband than his literature. As a sort of flirting rectangle forms, the quartet join forces to discover the truth. Was the neighbour really murdered by he relatively unassuming and apparently good-hearted husband? Or is Carol’s imagination getting the better of her? And what will become of these romantic entanglements between the group? To spoil all of that would be a sin.

Woody Allen brings a whole lot of energy to Manhattan Murder Mystery, blending together romantic issues with a mystery to good effect. The two things shouldn’t really work together but Allen makes it move along in an almost harmonious fashion. In a sense there are two mysteries going on, the one revolving around suspicion of murder and the other of will any of the flirtations in the quadrangle amount to anything more. There are times when the movie goes on a bit, but this can be seen as a minor flaw in an underrated entry into his movies. There is a definite ring of familiarity with the film and the characters that makes us know it’s a Woody Allen movie, and yet it still works well because the audience at least you know the kind of madcap humour you will get and the types of character personas. Allen playfully alludes to Hitchcock not some cracking sequences, mixing his trademark humour with some tension filled touches that add up to a good little package. With the use of a roving camera, everything is always moving, including the story. This unusual camera trick is employed very well to give the sense of adventure and rejuvenation Carol finds while playing Nancy Drew and the technique only occasionally becomes overbearing. A lovely jazz soundtrack is utilised in Manhattan Murder Mystery that supplies lots of fun to the amusing story.

Starring as he often does in his movies, Woody Allen reprises his worrisome, talkative and cynical persona audiences know and love to good effect here, complete with an array of hysterical one liners as his character Larry becomes concerned that his wife is concocting a fantasy.  With Diane Keaton returning to Woody Allen movies, it’s an added bonus watching them play off each other. Having been his one time muse, Keaton knows exactly how to deliver his brand of comedy with ease and it shine through here in her performance as the free-spirited and offbeat Carol. Giving the part a whole lot of energy, exact comic timing and warmth, it is a triumph for Keaton that catches the eye almost immediately. And nothing is quite like watching these two bounce off each playing the bickering married couple. Providing reliable support is Alan Alda and Anjelica Huston in delightful performances. Alda has a likable persona and cheeky grin that is used well to play the open-minded and eager Ted. There is certain twinkle in Alda’s eye that is unmistakable and adds a lot to his character. Anjelica Huston relishes the role of the vampy authoress Marcia, whose expertise in the mystery genre prove very helpful during the sleuthing that takes place. Combining sassy confidence and ample sex appeal with a quick talking intellect, Huston is the perfect actress for the part. As the suspected murderer and neighbour, Jerry Adler displays a geniality that could very well belie something else and entirely different.

Peppered with humour as well as quite a bit of tension woven in, Manhattan Murder Mystery may have that ring of been there done that in a few instances, but the overall product is a delightfully funny trifle of a movie.

Cassandra’s Dream

Tags

2000's, Cassandra's Dream, Clare Higgins, Colin Farrell, Drama, Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Sally Hawkins, Thriller, Tom Wilkinson, Woody Allen

Film Title

Cassandra’s Dream

Director

Woody Allen

Starring

• Ewan McGregor as Ian
• Colin Farrell as Terry
• Tom Wilkinson as Uncle Howard
• Hayley Atwell as Angela
• Sally Hawkins as Kate
• Clare Higgins as Dorothy

A dramatic thriller from Woody Allen that suffers from odd pacing, a none too special script that rehashes old ideas Allen has explored in other movies more successfully and lack of involving events, Cassandra’s Dream had currency but nearly every element conspires against it and we’re left  watching a sub par film from a talented director.

Ian and Terry are two cockney brothers; the oldest Ian helps his somewhat  lax father in his restaurant, whereas Terry works as a mechanic in a local garage and is engaged to the sweet Kate. What binds both of the brothers is the sense of financial dissatisfaction. This is heightened even more when Ian meets the beautiful but demanding actress , who he becomes very attracted to. Having always had aspirations to set up hotels in the Suns of California, inspires Ian to make some money to fulfill his dreams but also benefit her in the long run. Terry, who is prone to booze and excessive gambling despite being a well-meaning man, falls into debt and owes a lot of money to loan sharks who know how to hurt. With both brothers desperate for monetary stability and fast, help seems to come in the shape of their Uncle Howard, who they have always looked up to. He has helped the family in the past and being a self-made man, has worked his way up to being a millionaire. Yet for all this hard work, a lot of his deals have been on the very shady side. He agrees to endow his nephews if they first do one thing for him. It appears that one of Howard’s associates is threatening to expose some of his less than savory antics. The cunning and sinister Howard says the only way to stop his crook tactics in business from being exposed is to have the man killed, which he asks Ian and Terry to carry out. Both brothers are shocked by what he is asking them to do, but both come round to the idea( despite Terry becoming still twitchy about the lack of morality.) The brothers eventually manage to carry out the murderous deed successfully, but it begins to change their relationship. Ian, who wanted the money to keep up with high maintenance Angela, decides to think as if nothing happened as he becomes enamoured with the lump sum coming his way. On the other hand, Terry becomes eaten up by unspeakable guilty that consumes him more and more each day that leads to the shattering of him and his brother’s close friendship and spells very bad circumstances for both men.

While it must be stated that Woody Allen is a very gifted director and writer, Cassandra’s Dream doesn’t really paint his talent in the best way because of a number of issues and inconsistencies. You see Cassandra’s Dream is billed as a dramatic thriller with a morality theme at the centre(much like many of Allen’s later movies), yet it is curiously neither thrilling or dramatic. Granted, there are a few scenes with a bit of tension, yet none of them feel very suspenseful or at all that riveting. The way that the pace varies from very quick to a snail-like drudge does not help matters whatsoever. Cassandra’s Dream may be set in London like Match Point, but whereas that movie really had an urgency and dealt with themes of ambition, a sense of wealth and the cruelty of life, the same can’t be said of this misstep. A lot of it feels very clichéd and unlike some of his other work, many characters aren’t interesting enough as people to invest in or relate to. Thankfully there is at least some respite to be found in a gloomy visual style and a moody score from Philip Glass, that lends a degree of darkness to the film which it sorely lacks throughout a lot of it.

One other thing that keeps Cassandra’s Dream at least bearable is most of the cast, who rise above the somewhat checkered source material to turn in good work despite the script’s shortcomings. Despite them both sporting dodgy cockney accents, Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell impress the brothers in predicaments and torn apart by their actions. Ewan McGregor makes Ian likable and the most ambitious of the two, who seems to become more avaricious after committing murder and wanting the good life. Colin Farrell is the real standout, wearing his heart on his sleeve as the nervous Terry. Never has Farrell shown so much vulnerability and gentleness before, but here he really makes quite the impact with this change of pace as the emotionally tormented man forced into a dire situation that ruins him from the inside. As excellent as Tom Wilkinson is as the scheming and blackmailing Uncle Howard, I would have preferred to see more of him as I am a big fan of Tom Wilkinson. That doesn’t mean that he was bad here, he is far from it, he just feels shortchanged and not featured enough in the story, especially as his actions have a lot of effect on the story. Despite the underwritten nature of their characters, Hayley Atwell and Sally Hawkins do their best as the demanding, opportunistic Angela who bewitches Ian and the caring and tolerant Kate, who starts to worry for boyfriend Terry. The same can’t be said of Claire Higgins who is criminally wasted as the boy’s mother.

With little in the way of thrills or tension, Cassandra’s Dream falls very flat and despite some good parts, none can make up for the disjointed quality of what ranks as one Woody Allen’s weakest outings as director.

Husbands and Wives

Tags

1990's, Drama, Husbands and Wives, Judy Davis, Juliette Lewis, Liam Neeson, Mia Farrow, Sydney Pollack, Woody Allen

Film Title

Husbands and Wives

Director

Woody Allen

Starring

• Woody Allen as Gabe Roth
• Mia Farrow as Judy Roth
• Sydney Pollack as Jack
• Judy Davis as Sally
• Juliette Lewis as Rain
• Liam Neeson as Michael

One of Woody Allen’s most lacerating and stark movies, which centres on the dissolving of marriages and infidelity, Husbands and Wives is far from his standard stuff. If you are used to seeing Woody Allen’s movies as light-hearted and sweet, then prepare for something at the other end of the spectrum with this unforgettable entry into his canon.

Gabe and Judy Roth are a seemingly solid couple who have been married for ten years. Gabe is a writer and professor while Judy works at a publisher’s. The main crux of the film begins when the close friends of the couple, Jack and Sally come around to their house on a night when they are all supposed to go out for dinner. They announce that they are separating from each other and both seem none too fussed, later we will see that both are putting on a brave face. The announcement of their separation bemuses Gabe, who is cynical to say the least but has a more lasting impact of shock on Judy. The news seems to hit a nerve with her and after this she too begins questioning how ideal her marriage is and what flaws may very well lie in it. Meanwhile, Jack(who has a history of philandering with women he finds less demanding than the tightly wound Sally) has moved in with an attractive but none too bright aerobics teacher, while Sally tentatively begins to see nice editor Michael, who she is introduced to via Judy. Judy though harbours secret feelings for Michael that she tries to suppress, yet having been put in a tailspin, she is now questioning her own marriage. Gabe as well has begun to be infatuated by one of his writing the students, the effervescent Rain who has a thing for older men. Throughout the film, scenes of each character are interspersed talking to an unseen interviewer, baring their secrets and emotions on love and the state of affairs each has encountered. With all the upheaval of emotions, which unions can be saved and which will ultimately drift apart?

Woody Allen paints a dark and unrelenting picture of marital disharmony, that shows that his movies can be as unromantic as they are sweepingly romantic. You can’t help but feel ounces of cynicism and bitterness towards the institution of marriage and it really bleeds into the film. And those expecting a lot of humour will be in for a shock, because even when there is moments of humour it is on the brooding and subdued end of the spectrum. Also of note is the fact that Husbands and Wives strangely parallels the real life drama of Allen and Mia Farrow’s breakdown in relationship and scandal that engulfed it. Because of this, there is something of a realistic tone that comes close being almost autobiographical throughout the movie that can’t be ignored, whether it was intentional or not. The hand-held camerawork of the piece is just splendid in projecting the fragile relationships on display and the instability of love in general. I’m not usually a big lover of hand-held camerawork, but when employed successfully here by Woody Allen and filled with expressive and almost intrusive close-ups, it throws us straight into the maelstrom of emotional fallout and questions regarding marriage. The interviews with the characters that forms part of the movie may put some off, but for me it was a real gamble that payed off. We gain a genuine insight into these character’s thoughts and feelings on themselves and each other that at many times they won’t share face to face with each other. A subdued colour scheme further highlights the uncertainty of all the romantic parties involved with mauve and dark browns acting as the primary components.

Woody Allen as an actor seems to be on familiar ground with the befuddled character of Gabe, but he injects the role with a deep cynicism that marks an edge to the character and makes him somewhat different from what he could have been. Mia Farrow is extremely evocative as the fragile and shaken Judy, who comes to question her own marriage in the shock of seeing Jack and Sally’s end. Farrow has that ability to portray a large amount of melancholy and it is ideally suited to the part here. Though with everything that occurred off-screen, it does make me wonder how much of Farrow’s performance is acting and how much could be the real thing. Either way, it’s an excellent performance surrounded by sadness and desolation. Sydney Pollack, best known for being a director, makes his mark as the philandering jerk Jack who says he wants a change but can’t let go of the past. The two main standout performances to be found in Husbands and Wives belong to Judy Davis and Juliette Lewis. Judy Davis is exceptional as the difficult and neurotic Sally, who can spit venom when needed and find flaws in just about anything you put in front of her. Davis burrows into the character finding sadness, humour and unusual tics that the character possesses and how despite her separation, she can’t live without her husband. It is a truly dazzling performance from a hugely talented actress, who clearly understands the role of Sally as a bubbling cauldron of anger that is going to boil over. Juliette Lewis has a deep vibrancy, strange sort of sensuality and opinionated tendency that she adds to the role of Rain, who has a real passion for writing and a tendency to attract older men. Liam Neeson provides some excellent support as the editor taken with Sally, yet secretly suspecting that Judy has feelings for him too.

Bruising, dark and more than a little bitter on the subject of marriage, Husbands and Wives gains power and wounding impact due to the choice to shoot events with an up close and personal camera style, excellent writing and smashing performances from the cast.

Match Point

Tags

2000's, Brian Cox, Drama, Emily Mortimer, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Match Point, Matthew Goode, Penelope Wilton, Scarlett Johansson, Thriller, Woody Allen

Film Title

Match Point

Director

Woody Allen

Starring

• Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Chris Wilton
• Scarlett Johansson as Nola Rice
• Emily Mortimer as Chloe Hewett Wilton
• Matthew Goode as Tom Hewett
• Brian Cox as Alec Hewett
• Penelope Wilton as Eleanor Hewett

A dramatic thriller that takes aim at the price of ambition, lust and luck, Match Point is gripping viewing and an excellent change of pace for Woody Allen.

Chris Wilton is a tennis instructor, who used to be a pro. As the film opens, he gets a job at a swanky club in London. While there, he strikes up a friendship with the wealthy Tom Hewett, who introduces Chris to his world of riches and his sweet sister Chloe. Chris is someone who wants to strive for something in life, mainly a sense of position, and slowly he integrates himself into Tom’s family and climbs the social ladder due to his charming nature. The family approves of the charming Chris and he soon becomes engaged to Chloe, who he really cares for. As he becomes a part of the wealthy life, he encounters Nola Rice, a struggling American actress who is engaged to marry Tom. A sexual spark is apparent from the first meeting and as Chris thinks more about Nola, the two eventually give into a passionate encounter. Afterwards, ambitious Chris marries Chloe, but can’t shake the thought of the bewitching Nola. Many months later, he encounters her again and as she has broken with Tom, he resumes his clandestine affair with her. Meanwhile, Chloe is desperate to have a child and becomes suspicious that Chris is straying from the marriage bed. Yet Chris, with all his ambition and want for his ideal life to stay well, is not prepared for when Nola becomes particularly temperamental and significantly obsessed with Chris and the idea of him leaving his wife for her. Chris is put into a tailspin as his actions to keep her quiet seem to have no affect on her and she starts to become a lot more unstable. Fearing that his perfect existence is going to crumble, he realises that he may have to take drastic action to keep his affair silent and carry on his charmed life that he has become very accustomed to.

Match Point represents Woody Allen at some of his most serious and passionate, tinged with more than a real hint of darkness. He has looked at themes of fate and luck before, but here it has a really philosophical edge that also examines the morality of ones actions with a real feeling of impending doom. Although it has traces of humour which is customary from Allen, he keeps it controlled and allows the complexity and drama to unfold without overloading it with humour. He injects a real sense of urgency into the proceedings that is felt throughout the entire film. Match Point also stands as one of Allen’s most sensual movies, filled with some really passionate love scenes between Chris and Nola that shows the sheer animal attraction and magnetism between them. Allen also dispenses with his usual jazz music, instead using opera that captures the undeniable passions and encroaching fears that envelope Chris. Even the visuals have a moody atmosphere fear to them which adds further impact to the tale of consequence and luck. I would suggest this film to people who don’t usually watch Allen’s stuff as it may just change your mind.

Where Match Point really soars is with the characters and the splendid acting on display. In the lead role of the social climber threatened by his actions, Jonathan Rhys Meyers excels at making Chris both a selfish and conflicted character. He could have been just a cold, unfeeling character, but Meyers lets us see both sides of a character whose near destruction is built from his own hands and his own ambitious nature. Equally as excellent is Scarlett Johansson, who turns in an exemplary performance. Playing Nola as something of a femme fatale, but injecting determination, capricious anger and obsession into the mix, Johansson succeeds at fleshing her out and making a deep impression with a bewitching and layered performance. And the chemistry shared between Meyers and Johansson is all sorts of sexy, electric and complicated. Emily Mortimer is very good as the privileged Chloe, who is won over by Chris yet senses that something is not quite right. Matthew Goode is impressive with the material he is given, as are Brian Cox and Penelope Wilton as the rich parents welcoming Chris into their world.

With great writing, a multitude of interesting themes and a genuinely serious maturity about it, Match Point stands as an accomplished film from the prolific Woody Allen.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

Tags

2010's, Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Comedy, Drama, Freida Pinto, Gemma Jones, Josh Brolin, Lucy Punch, Naomi Watts, Pauline Collins, Woody Allen, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

Film Title

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

Director

Woody Allen

Starring

• Anthony Hopkins as Alfie
• Gemma Jones as Helena
• Naomi Watts as Sally
• Josh Brolin as Roy
• Antonio Banderas as Greg
• Lucy Punch as Charmaine
• Freida Pinto as Dia
• Pauline Collins as Cristal

Although there is wit and drama to be found, when watching You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, you can’t help but feel that Woody Allen has done better movies over the years. Sure he knows how to write some great characters and situations, but unfortunately this movie isn’t a shining example of his talent.

The film focuses on the tangled love lives and questions of fate within a family living in London. Firstly, we have Alfie who has had an epiphany that time is not on his side and that he needs to relive some of his lost youth. The first step to do this is to divorce his shocked wife Helena, who because of this becomes friendly with fake fortune-teller Cristal, who she begins to trust almost completely. Life then becomes besotted with the much younger Charmaine, who is a former call girl and gold digger. Alfie quickly marries her, but soon enough he looks like he may regret it as her money spending gets out of control and his bank balance plummets. Alfie and Helena’s daughter Sally works in an art gallery, hoping one day to open one of her own yet blighted by the fact that her husband Roy is a washed-up writer. Roy wallows in misery at a lack of inspiration because his first novel was a success, but he has failed to replicate it in the following years. He is currently awaiting the response to his latest submission, but the arrival of Helena talking of cosmic energy does nothing to quell his fears. He finds some form of solace in a growing attraction to Dia, a beautiful music student who lives in the apartment opposite. Sally has grown tired of Roy’s lack of success, moping around and wants to start her own family, which seems out of the question as Roy has no intention. While at work, she begins to develop feelings for her new boss Greg, yet she doesn’t know whether to act on them or not. Let’s just say, entanglements ensue.

While it must be said that Woody Allen still has the ear for dialogue, he isn’t on his finest form here leaving many of the stories feeling tired and exhausted. You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger isn’t completely terrible, it is actually quite good in parts. But I can’t help have the nagging feeling that Woody Allen can do so much better than this. One major problem I had with the film was that as certain stories seemed to get going, they were shoved to the back and not focused on a lot. This in turn made You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger a disjointed film, because some stories work a lot better than others and certain characters were more engaging than others. There are positives to the film to be found, despite the flaws that riddle the piece and make it one of his less accomplished efforts. I liked how the theme whether fates holds sway over lives and loves was presented, in the form of a charlatan fortune-teller whose predictions are often quite close to the truth. As is typical with a multi layered film, some parts of You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger work better than others. When it does work, the film has a gleefully ironic tone to it that is hard to miss. This is best summed up in the narration that has a mordant view of events and takes swipes at the misfortunes and romantic entanglements the characters find themselves in. A jaunty jazz soundtrack is used well enough to signify the changes in love that everyone goes through.

Anthony Hopkins is on good form(yet again, when he is not anything but excellent?) as Alfie, who thinks the grass is greener on the other side and is in for a rude awakening as it turns out to be not the bed of roses he expected. The delightful Gemma Jones is by turns funny and touching as his former wife, who takes to consulting supposedly clairvoyant forces for answers on her directions in life. Naomi Watts is splendidly overwrought as the frustrated Sally, while Josh Brolin, all scraggly hair and hangdog appearances is suitably pathetic and engulfed in self-pity as the washed-up Roy, desperately wanting success. The main standout within the cast for me is Lucy Punch as the trashy gold digger Charmaine. She helps provide some outrageous humour and crude appeal as Charmaine begins to fleece Alfie for every penny he’s got, despite not being the brightest person there is. Punch just has the necessary humour and attitude for the part that she clearly makes the most of. I myself found that Antonio Banderas and Freida Pinto were shortchanged with the material they were given. Both are talented stars, but the script just didn’t have enough flesh on the bones of either character for them to register with me. At least Pauline Collins, despite being only seen sporadically, is very amusing in the part of the fortune-teller who may actually be telling the truth.

With too many loose ends not tied up and some actors wasted in their respective parts, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger just lacks that extra spark that a lot of Allen’s work has. In the end, it resembles something akin to a mess that had potential but somehow squandered it.

Blue Jasmine

Tags

2010's, Alec Baldwin, Andrew Dice Clay, Blue Jasmine, Bobby Cannavale, Cate Blanchett, Drama, Louis C.K., Peter Sarsgaard, Sally Hawkins, Woody Allen

Film Title

Blue Jasmine

Director

Woody Allen

Starring

• Cate Blanchett as Jasmine
• Sally Hawkins as Ginger
• Alec Baldwin as Hal
• Bobby Cannavale as Chili
• Andrew Dice Clay as Augie
• Louis C.K. as Al
• Peter Sarsgaard as Dwight

A strong drama/tragedy from the pen and direction of Woody Allen populated with acerbic dialogue and an exceptional cast headed by an award-winning Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine emerges as one of his most scathing and seriously darker films.

Jasmine was not so long ago a wealthy socialite with everything she could ask for. That is until it was revealed that her husband Hal was a fraudster and who was subsequently arrested for his shady dealings. Now penniless and recovering from a nervous breakdown, Jasmine heads to San Francisco to stay with her adopted sister Ginger. Ginger is less well off than Jasmine, but is hard-working and never bemoans it. Yet while she is doing Jasmine a favour by putting her up, she may have wished she hadn’t . You see Jasmine is not an easy or at all pleasant person to be around. The once rich society princess has a sense of entitlement that causes her to sneer at Ginger’s choices in lifestyle and men, like her latest boyfriend grease monkey Chili. In between popping pills, wittering on to herself about the old glories and hitting the booze whenever she can get her hands on it, Jasmine completely starts to unravels emotionally as her bubble bursts. Jasmine alienates those around her and people like Ginger’s ex husband Augie, who was ripped off by Jasmine’s husband are far from happy to see her swanning back into town as if nothing has happened. Through flashbacks, we begin to get a picture of her life before that she clings to with alarmingly delusional flights of fancy that are leading her down the dangerous path to another nervous breakdown.

The dark drama within Blue Jasmine unfolds very well, courtesy of fantastic and withering direction from Woody Allen. I especially liked the way he cut the flashbacks with the present. It isn’t anything complicated or flashy, it is events shown when a certain topic is brought up about Jasmine and we get answers from it.  There is a reminiscent quality about the structure of the flashbacks, which is very apt seeing as Jasmine is still completely in the past and refusing to step out of it. While Woody Allen is a master of comedy, he is also pretty adept at crafting drama. If you want a drama from him, look no further than Blue Jasmine. Humour may have a part in the movie, but like the dark tone of it, the humour comprises of scalding one-liners, biting indictments of the rich and watching Jasmine continue to delude herself that her life is still flashy and amazing. I’m liking seeing Woody Allen direct drama as he has a definite flair for this dark type of drama, tinged with bits of black comedy and vicious wit. Sure at times the narrative can flounder a little, but that is a very minor flaw in what is a very successful movie. A bright visual style showcasing San Francisco is laced with a biting irony at the darkness of the story as Jasmine heads towards the razor’s edge of insanity. A soundtrack of blues and jazz underpins the dark, tragic and pathetic nature of Jasmine’s plight, which is in one way done by her own hand.

What really dominates Blue Jasmine is the bravura performance from Cate Blanchett, that garnered her a well deserved Oscar. The character of Jasmine must have been difficult to play because of how much her emotions veer from one to the other, but Blanchett effortlessly turns in a performance that doesn’t hit a false note. The character of Jasmine is not likable; she’s bitchy, snotty and holds contempt for those who she judges to be beneath her station. Yet with Blanchett in the role, she invests it with not so much a sympathy but a reason that Jasmine is a victim of her own selfishness who simply can’t let go of her past riches and is pathetic, strangely tragic and emotionally ruined to say the least. You simply can’t take your eyes off Blanchett in her portrayal of the slowly disintegrating Jasmine and it stands as one of her best performances. Sally Hawkins provides a great foil to Blanchett’s bitchy Jasmine in the form of down to earth Ginger. She gives her part a genuine niceness tempered with a quiet strength that is soon unleashed as she grows weary of her sister’s behaviour and disapproving attitude. Ginger is a character that you can relate to more because she is rational and while not exactly thrilled at her social standing, works hard enough and sacrifices to make ends meet. Alec Baldwin, shown in flashback is the charming shark who lead Jasmine right up the garden path. Baldwin portrays the smooth operator with a smug and scheming personality with relish. Bobby Cannavale, boasting a blue-collar attitude and big heart is very good as Chili, whose temper is ignited by the way Jasmine looks down upon him. Andrew Dice Clay is well cast as Augie, who was duped by one of Hal’s schemes and came off a lot worse, while Louis C.K. is good as another possible love interest for Ginger. Rounding out the proceedings is Peter Sarsgaard as a wannabe politician who indulges Jasmine’s delusions of grandeur.

With a biting, tart wit and deft direction, Woody Allen conjures up one of his strongest films of late, that is jet-black in terms of humour and is more akin to a tragedy. And with Cate Blanchett on absolutely stellar form as the socialite fallen on hard times and slowly adrift in a sea of delusions, what more could you ask for?

The Purple Rose of Cairo

Tags

1980's, Comedy, Danny Aiello, Fantasy, Jeff Daniels, Mia Farrow, Romance, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Woody Allen

Film Title

The Purple Rose of Cairo

Director

Woody Allen

Starring

• Mia Farrow as Cecilia
• Jeff Daniels as Tom Baxter/ Gil Shepherd
• Danny Aiello as Monk

A comical, bittersweet movie about the magic of cinema and the line between reality and illusion, Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo is tinted with a heartwarming yet poignant charm and own sort of magic that makes it a lovely film.

It is the Great Depression and in New Jersey the poor, put upon waitress Cecilia is trying make ends meet as best as she can. She is trapped in a loveless marriage to the abusive and lazy Monk, who is unemployed but has no intention of getting a job as he is too busy drinking and gambling. To escape her humdrum and miserable life, Cecilia takes refuge in going to the cinema and becoming lost in the movies she watches. Her latest favourite movie is entitled The Purple Rose of Cairo and she has developed a liking of the explorer character Tom. While watching the movie for yet another time, something truly remarkable happens. Tom breaks the fourth wall and literally leaps off-screen, desperate to know the meek Cecilia. Astonished by this, she finds herself swept off her feet by the good-hearted Tom and finds herself growing attached to him, despite the fact that he is a fictional character who has entered reality. The actions of Tom leaving the film sends a wave of pandemonium through the cinema as Tom’s co-stars have no idea what to do without him in the scene, audience members become disgruntled that the movie is changed and even the studio producing the movie begins to panic about what will happen in the fall out. Meanwhile, Cecilia experiences adventures and love with the heroic Tom, who begins to realise that real life is a whole lot different from the glitz of movies. However, another surprise is on the way for Cecilia. The studio behind the movie has contacted Gil Shepherd, the actor who essayed the role of Tom and have sent him to New Jersey to see if he can repair any damage done. In contrast to the gentle and brave Tom, the man behind it is obsessed with keeping his career up and a little full of himself. But upon arrival, he begins to become enchanted with Cecilia too. Now it is up to Cecilia to decide whether to choose either the charming Tom or slightly arrogant Gil or return to the doldrums of her life.

Woody Allen displays masterful direction and writing throughout this bittersweet gem. He lovingly delves into the way that cinema has an impact on people and how it can provide literal and emotional escape from life’s troubles. He peppers events with humour, but it is underpinned by a poignancy that makes The Purple Rose of Cairo very moving. The film is full of delightful highlights from the sight of the movie stars on the screen bickering with discontented customers who want their money back to Tom and Gil confronting each other in amusing fashion, it is hard to fault The Purple Rose of Cairo in terms of ambition and clarity. Allen clearly knows that the audience can each view themselves like Cecilia, and with his beautiful direction and criss cross between comedy, drama and touching romantic fantasy, the results will definitely move you. The cinematography crafts the atmosphere outside as grim and troubled but employs brighter shades when Tom burst off-screen and lights up Cecilia’s life that has been in darkness for too long. A very good jazz score underlines the developing romance of the movie and brings both joy and sadness to the proceedings.

Mia Farrow turns in a beautifully touching performance as the downtrodden Cecilia. We immediately feel sympathy for her and her circumstances and we’d all love to just reach through the screen and comfort her. Farrow’s performance is so nuanced and filled with little things that make it work; the way her face lights up when viewing the eponymous movie, her silent tears as she realises her position in the world and the giddy sense of delight she feels as Tom courts her. All of this and more is found in a lovely performance from Mia Farrow. Jeff Daniels adroitly portrays two very different characters and delineates their opposing personalities and characteristics. Tom on one hand is the ideal guy with affable charm, whereas Gil is a cynical man more concerned with having nothing ruin his career. Daniels, who I always think can be underrated by many as an actor, shows exceptional talent here by embodying the two characters very well and helping form the emotional core of the movie, along with Mia Farrow. As Cecilia’s boorish husband who berates her at every turn, Danny Aiello is well cast.

Beautifully written, directed and acted, with true depth to the story as well as humour, The Purple Rose of Cairo is a purely magical film making from Woody Allen that delivers warmth and pathos to the story of escaping life with the powers of celluloid.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Tags

2000's, Chris Messina, Christopher Evan Welch, Comedy, Drama, Javier Bardem, Patricia Clarkson, Penélope Cruz, Rebecca Hall, Romance, Scarlett Johansson, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Woody Allen

Film Title

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Director

Woody Allen

Starring

• Rebecca Hall as Vicky
• Scarlett Johansson as Cristina
• Javier Bardem as Juan Antonio
• Penélope Cruz as Maria Elena
• Patricia Clarkson as Judy
• Chris Messina as Doug
• Christopher Evan Welch as Narrator

Witty, sexy yet tinged with a longing and pervading melancholy, Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona is an ambivalent examination of love, sex and discovery that is dappled in sun and filled with engaging work from the cast.

Best friends Vicky and Cristina decide to vacation for the summer in Barcelona and stay her distant relative Judy, who has agreed to put them up. For the straight-laced and cautious Vicky, who is engaged to be married to dull Doug, it is a trip to conduct her research on Catalan culture. Yet for the restless and searching Cristina, it is somewhere to explore and find a way to express herself and love, which so far she has found hard to do so. The two young ladies soon catch the eye of handsome artist Juan Antonio when at a party. The seductive painter was once in a stormy relationship with a fiery woman that ended in near death. The seductive painter approaches both ladies with a brazen request to spend the weekend with him, where he hopes they will enjoy dinner, see the sights and eventually fall into bed with each other. The spontaneous Cristina is immediately won over as the hint of a little naughtiness entices her, while Vicky is skeptical but tags along to keep tabs on Cristina. As the weekend progresses both women become attracted to Juan Antonio, culminating in the engaged Vicky surrendering to a highly charged encounter with him. Although Vicky attempts to forget her night of passion, she simply can’t deny being enamoured with Juan Antonio and attempts to stifle her guilt at cheating on her fiancée. Meanwhile Cristina grows closer to the artist and vice versa, leading her to quickly move in with him. Yet trouble and upheaval is just around the corner as Maria Elena, Juan Antonio’s ex-wife arrives back on the scene setting in motion a conflicting love triangle. Or should that be love quadrangle?

As both writer and director, Woody Allen’s witty dialogue and confidentially fluid direction makes Vicky Cristina Barcelona go along at a lively place, much like the electricity that sparks between the four characters. Allen has a lot to say about modern relationships and the complexities of the heart and he adroitly examines these subjects with both a passion, longing and wit. I liked how for a move that on the surface seems warm and breezy, there are touches of darkness and unearthed desires looming large over it. I thought this added another layer of engaging quality to the story blending laughs with some pathos. Visually, Vicky Cristina Barcelona is sublime and gorgeous. Wrapped in gold hues that invite you in and paint a sexy atmosphere, the cinematography is breathtakingly lovely and at times look downright delectable with its honeyed tint. Now there is one point of contention that lies within Vicky Cristina Barcelona and that is the narration. Not that it isn’t good, it is just something of a double-edged sword. It does well in setting up and closing the story, but for most of the time it is a little superfluous. That being said the voice of Christopher Evan Welch is engaging enough, it is just overused. Still this shouldn’t put you off because the movie is witty and engaging nonetheless. A sizzling soundtrack of Spanish guitars, quick drums and passion filled voices is an excellent companion to the various switches of romance and the clash of the heart and head when sensuality enters the picture.

Woody Allen assembles a very impressive cast who fill his words and characters with verve and talent. Rebecca Hall makes quite an impression playing Vicky, who is the more traditional and serious of the two best friends. We glimpse through her movements and facial expressions the suppression of desires and how it rises within Vicky as something she can’t keep control of as the vacation goes on. Scarlett Johansson is natural and footloose as the free spirit that is Cristina, who also has her own conflicts over her opinion of herself and wants to find her meaning. There is a real vibrancy and playfulness to the performance from Johansson that is hard to ignore and a real subtle beauty too. Then we have Javier Bardem who has all the necessary charm and seductive presence to burn as Juan Antonio. Yet what is really good about his performance is the way he injects it with a humour and soulfulness that in the hands of any other actor wouldn’t have worked. It is however Penélope Cruz that makes the largest impact in a role that garnered her a deserved Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Playing the unstable spitfire Maria Elena as a whirling dervish of emotion, Cruz captures the mercurial temperament, sensuality and all-consuming passion of this woman. From the moment she appears on screen, you just know that Penélope Cruz is going to own the role with her talent and unique way You simply can’t take your eyes of Cruz as she completely steals the show with a performance of both tragic and comic dimensions that threatens to ignite the screen with its fiery presence. Patricia Clarkson has a neat supporting role as the philandering wife who pushes Vicky to act with her heart and Chris Messina has the distracted dullness that makes you see why Vicky would consider a dalliance with another.

A fine romantic comedy/drama from Woody Allen, Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a movie that is as lush and as sumptuous as the scenery, but unpredictable and stormy as the heart itself.

Midnight in Paris

Tags

2010's, Adrien Brody, Alison Pill, Comedy, Corey Stoll, Fantasy, Kathy Bates, Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen, Midnight in Paris, Owen Wilson, Paris, Rachel McAdams, Romance, Tom Hiddleston, Woody Allen

Film Title

Midnight in Paris

Director

Woody Allen

Cast

• Owen Wilson as Gil Pender
• Rachel McAdams as Inez
• Marion Cotillard as Adriana
• Michael Sheen as Paul Bates
• Kathy Bates as Gertrude Stein
• Adrien Brody as Salvador Dali
• Alison Pill as Zelda Fitzgerald
• Tom Hiddleston as F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Corey Stoll as Ernest Hemingway

From the opening minutes of Midnight in Paris, as the camera takes in the sights of the city with a jazz soundtrack, you know you’re in for something magic and nostalgic from Woody Allen. Funny, touching and imaginative, Midnight in Paris is a comical fantasy film of beauty and the link between the past and present and how one longs for a life before their time.

Gil Pender is a hack screenwriter who is desperate to write a novel. He is a wide-eyed and nostalgic guy who travels to Paris with his gorgeous but disagreeable fiancée Inez, with her wealthy parents. Gil is suffering from writer’s block and is in need of inspiration, though Inez dismisses this as a daydream and cares more about herself. After an evening at a wine tasting with Inez’s pedantic friend Paul, Gil goes for a walk through the Parisian streets as it chimes midnight. As this happens, an old car from the 20’s pulls up and the passengers coax Gil into getting in. He does and soon realises he has been transported into his favourite era and along the way he meets such iconic figures as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and Salvador Dali. This re-invigorates Gil’s imagination and he continues to travel back in time every night into the magical and nostalgic world. Through his trips to the past, Gil gains more inspiration, falls for Picasso’s alluring mistress Adriana and begins to realise that his union with Inez is not exactly a match made in heaven.

Prepare to be swept into the glamorous fantasy world conjured up from the pen of the prolific Woody Allen, who imbues the material with humour and a bittersweet longing for the past. His Oscar-winning script and various characters of literacy fame that populate it are funny, assured and highly enjoyable. Woody Allen shows he still has the gift for comedy after so many years in the celluloid spotlight. It is almost impossible not to be captivated by this tale of the tentative link between the past and present. Props should go to the jazz score that sets the right period setting and the dazzling cinematography, that bathes Paris in a golden glow of times gone by. Many beautiful shots abound in the film, but the one I remember the most is Paris in the rain. It just has such a poetic and romantic beauty about it that I can’t describe as I’d need a good few pages to do so. Above all it’s the characters that capture the interest of the viewer as Gil explores the nocturnal haunts of the famous. A played by Owen Wilson, Gil becomes a wide-eyed dreamer escaping his boredom by journeying back to another time. Wilson takes on this role with a charm and imagination, that is in the mould of roles Allen used to play many years ago. Rachel McAdams absolutely nails the role of the stylish but increasingly shallow Inez, who disapproves of Gil’s romantic notions of nostalgia. Fleshing out the supporting cast are a wide array of talented individuals. As Paul, the know-it-all friend of Inez, Michael Sheen injects humour as he tries to be much superior than he really is. Marion Cotillard, who is fast becoming one of my favourite actresses, is ideally cast and radiantly beautiful as the alluring Adriana. She has charming chemistry with Wilson, highlighted more by the fact that both characters wish for a long-lost past. Whilst Gil enjoys the 20’s, Adriana longs for a time before this. This adds a distinct poignancy tp the picture as we watch them fall for each other and discuss their nostalgic longings that somehow remain elusive at times. Also look out for Kathy Bates who is witty and wise as writer Gertrude Stein, Adrien Brody who is a hoot as surrealist Salvador Dali and Corey Stoll as Ernest Hemingway, whose advise holds special meaning to Gil. And not forgetting the pairing of Alison Pill and Tom Hiddleston who are excellently cast as the Fitzgerald’s.

Touching, warm and funny, Midnight in Paris is a comedy injected with a mischievous fantasy that is guaranteed to at least make you smile. Woody Allen proves he’s still got what it takes to make quality movies with this delightful picture.