FILM-FORWARD.COMReviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
MELINDA AND MELINDA
Woody Allen’s latest foray sets up two parallel stories, one tragic, the other comic. The story
focuses primarily on Melinda (Radha Mitchell), a fictionalized protagonist envisioned by two
men of the theater (Wally Shawn and Larry Pine). Over dinner with others, they debate the merits
of comedy versus tragedy in depicting more accurately the meaning of life. Henceforth, the two
men engage in a hypothetical construction of Melinda’s imaginary circumstances and
romantic exploits. In so doing, Allen sets the stage for these respective flights of fancy.
Allen’s screenplay, however, never gets far off the ground. These worlds either do not assimilate
or differentiate themselves enough to make the philosophical underpinnings more engaging. The
tragedy doesn’t feel particularly tragic, and the comedic version, although more lighthearted in
tone, never feels all that humorous. Whether it’s a question of chemistry, character development or screenplay
structure that jumps from one version to the other, the synergy of the relationships, plots, and
themes never fully meet. The problem may lie primarily in the film's premise. Melinda’s
character(s), in both tales, are revealed through a good deal of Allen's autobiographical exposition. This
leaves the viewer feeling more like therapist than audience member. For her part(s), Mitchell’s
personae seem held in check, as if she or Allen didn’t want either of the two
Melindas to come off as too extreme. However, the result is a blurring of these disparate worlds,
making the film less focused. Although it is possible that Allen wanted these
worlds to collide, blending them doesn’t seem to be the ultimate intention either. Nevertheless,
the playful inventiveness of the plot is apparent. That being said, putting a second face on Allen's
well-traveled terrain of romantic follies, career ambitions, and urban neuroses doesn’t help to
give this movie a fresh perspective. In fact, it’s possible that the conceit of the plot’s dual device
ends up being its own double indemnity – cluttering and diffusing the points of the film. It even
feels as if Allen himself didn’t trust his story. He resorts to a bookend finale where we return
to the dinner conversation that began the film. The final lines resolve the message in a literal
summation of Allen’s main theme, making Melinda and Melinda feel like the conclusion of a
thesis paper. Max Rennix
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