Cassandra’s Dream

I loved Woody Allen earlier comedies, like his earlier neurotic New York/New England films –most with him acting-, and then he lost me. But his London films are a different matter as they are so unbelievably unbelievable. You cannot believe a thing in his later work.

Perhaps is the casting, perhaps the actors do not feel comfortable with the dialogue and characters, perhaps Allen lost his “magic” touch or perhaps his mockery style is not that relevant anymore, well at least not to those that have seen his earlier movies.

Most people I know do not like my type of humor, as it is what I describe as dark-dark humor, so you can imagine how I love dark humor, dark comedies and dark everything; and one thing I cannot agree is that this movie is a dark movie, dark comedy or a darker Allen. I wish he would do movies with dark humor, dark comedies or better dark-dark neurosis, perhaps then I will start to love his movies as I did before.

I was reading in the American sites that Americans question the reason why Europeans like Allen’s movies today better than Americans. So checked some European sites and yep, critics and viewers like him more than the American counterparts. This puzzles me, as it is hard to understand why someone would like a non-well acted movie where you clearly see where everything is going as is a told many times and in many ways Greek tragedy?

With the only exception of Tom Wilkinson -that when the character speaks at the park under tree is truly brilliant- all the other performances are not interesting, robot alike and I did not believe a thing (not even one scene) with Collin Farrell playing a weak man, his histrionic abilities seem to not go well into weak characters.

The story is simple, two brothers Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell) in financial problems ask their millionaire uncle (Tom Wilkinson) to help them and he’s willing to help them if they agree to first help him with his own problems.

Think that this movie just confirms what I’m suspecting about the upcoming Vicky Cristina Barcelona (that by the way in other places is called Midnight In Barcelona) that Allen’s movies cannot have any hot sex scenes, he is more interested in WORDS than in anything else, including images and neurotic, slapstick or any other type of comedy. Shame!

Okay there is one thing I enjoyed in this film and is the music by Philip Glass –well known for his operas- as I find it very majestic.

Cannot say that I recommend this movie, but if you are a die hard Allen fan that wish he would do ONE more great movie –like me- I know you will see it and later you will complain as this is not the ONE movie you are still waiting to see from him.