Reviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
Written & Directed by Woody Allen Produced by Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum & Gareth Wiley Director of Photography, Vilmos Zsigmond Edited by Alisa Lepselter Music by Philip Glass Released by the Weinstein Company USA/France. 108 min. PG-13 With Ewan McGregor, Colin Farrell, Hayley Atwell, Sally Hawkins & Tom Wilkinson With two recent dark comedies using England as a backdrop, Woody Allen completes his London trilogy. Like Match Point and Scoop, Cassandra's Dream revolves around a sinister plot with a likable character at its helm. Also keeping with his recent trend, Allen finds murderers in the least likely of places. In desperate need of money for separate reasons – Terry (Colin Farrell), to settle an outrageous gambling debt, and his brother, Ian (Ewan McGregor), to become a credible investor and impress the girl of his dreams – the two get a timely and convenient visit from their generous, millionaire Uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson). Upon his arrival, Howard reveals to his nephews that he has an even more serious financial issue of his own. In a few days, a former colleague will publicly reveal Howard's history of unethical business practices that will surely strip him of his fortune and put him behind bars – leaving the three in the direst of circumstances. Howard sees the murder of his colleague as the only solution and Terry and Ian as the only ones he can trust to carry out the job. The story structure, generally speaking, is well constructed with high stakes and dire consequences for all involved. However, Allen takes his time getting to the meat of the story, and the beginning drags on with talky, uneventful dialogue. The story manages to pick up right before you find yourself digging through your coat pocket in search of your cell phone’s time display. Also keeping you out of your coat pocket are some awkward, signature Woody Allen “bad timing for characters equals good timing for comedy” moments. The ensemble ultimately saves this film from being mediocre. McGregor and Farrell exhibit a believable brotherly chemistry – McGregor as the driven, optimistic voice of reason, and Farrell, the self-doubting pessimist – neither mentally nor emotionally equipped for murder. Tom Wilkinson's first genuine scene, Howard revealing his call for murder to his bewildered and speechless nephews, is the film's best – as funny as it is dramatic and dark, quintessentially demonstrating just how experienced and diverse Allen is as a filmmaker.
In comparison to Match Point and Scoop, Cassandra's Dream receives a consolation bronze medal from me; the film lacks the buildup
and suspense of Allen's previous two dark comedies. If you enjoyed the previous films (which I did), it’s definitely worth viewing. Though the
film generally uses the same formula as its predecessors, Cassandra’s Dream is, indeed, the most watered down of the three. Maybe it’s time for
Allen to return to this side of the pond. Matt Alesevich
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