Unlike fellow American filmmaker Roman Polanski, Woody
Allen’s ‘exile’ in Europe is self imposed and no doubt encouraged by the fact
that the Europeans worship them far more as celebrated auteurs than in their own country. Unlike Polanski who goes out of his way to
pretend that his movies are filmed in the US, Allen’s movies are a real love
story to each of the capital cities he
films in, so much so, that they and not the big-name actors are the real stars.
His latest movie is a somewhat manic and surreal
concoction of different stories of some of the local citizens of Rome and of some
travelers passing through. There is no
connection between any of the different strands other than the fact that together they
obviously represent contemporary Roman society as seen through Mr
Allen’s rather twisted eyes.
There is far too much action and far too many
characters to allow any of it to develop to a point where we can really engage. The classic Allen sardonic wit is
there, but he gives himself most of the funniest lines playing a frustrated
retired father of the bride, when frankly Allen the actor should have retired
and let someone else play the part.
The fact that some of the odd stories start to work
are because his greatly under-used cast include some really superb actors of
the ilk of Judy Davis, Alec Baldwin, Jessie Eisenberg & Greta Gerwig. However only Ellen Page, Roberta Benigni (playing a
clown yet again) and Penelope Cruz (as a somewhat cool and fabulous hooker) get a chance to really shine through.
This silly and mildly amusing love letter to Italy is a great disappointment
after ‘Midnight in Paris’, and ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ and one wonders it is
time for Mr Allen to finally pack his bags and go home!
★★★★★★
★★★★★★
