Immediately after he made his big breakthrough with the Oscar winning Annie Hall (1977), Woody Allen decided to make a film that was anything but a follow-up in the same vein. Instead he made Interiors, which was not only the first of his films that he didn't star in but it was also his first attempt at a drama. It wasn't just a drama though, it was a bleak, serious film with almost no humour to be found anywhere. Needless to say, it was a very divisive film on release but one which has achieved respect with the benefit of hindsight. It is essentially about a dysfunctional family. There are three grown daughters who have a wealthy father and emotionally disturbed mother. The father leaves his mentally unstable wife and it is the fall-out of this decision in which the film takes place. The separation is a catalyst for all manner of insecurities and jealousies rising to the surface.
This is a pretty intimate family drama. There are only eight characters in the entire film, aside from the inner family there are two partners of the older daughters and an older woman called Pearl who the father wishes to marry. This is a family of intellectuals, who seem to be very self-absorbed and egotistical. It's only when the unpretentious Pearl comes into their orbit that we in the audience have a true identification figure. Even her clothing marks her out as different, wearing a red dress she contrasts with all the other characters in their drab coloured clothing. She is the only person with real life to her in this gathering and they don't like her for it, dismissing her as a 'vulgarian'. She is a good character and this movie as a whole showcases Allen's ability to write well-rounded female roles. The women drive the piece and all seem realistic, which is part due to the great acting from the entire cast. Admittedly there is some over-written dialogue in here, with some awkward lines that don't ring true but on the whole the writing is mostly good. Stylistically, it's very austere with no musical score to alleviate matters, while the pale colour scheme also emphasises the tone also. Much of the drama takes place in a house by a beach front so we have the roaring ocean waves crashing repeatedly on the shore under a heavy grey sky to add further ominous atmosphere to the dark psychological interactions. On the whole, this is a film that maybe takes a couple of viewings to appreciate and you definitely have to be in the right mood for it. But it's a bold and depressing film from Allen but one with many good things about it.
This is a pretty intimate family drama. There are only eight characters in the entire film, aside from the inner family there are two partners of the older daughters and an older woman called Pearl who the father wishes to marry. This is a family of intellectuals, who seem to be very self-absorbed and egotistical. It's only when the unpretentious Pearl comes into their orbit that we in the audience have a true identification figure. Even her clothing marks her out as different, wearing a red dress she contrasts with all the other characters in their drab coloured clothing. She is the only person with real life to her in this gathering and they don't like her for it, dismissing her as a 'vulgarian'. She is a good character and this movie as a whole showcases Allen's ability to write well-rounded female roles. The women drive the piece and all seem realistic, which is part due to the great acting from the entire cast. Admittedly there is some over-written dialogue in here, with some awkward lines that don't ring true but on the whole the writing is mostly good. Stylistically, it's very austere with no musical score to alleviate matters, while the pale colour scheme also emphasises the tone also. Much of the drama takes place in a house by a beach front so we have the roaring ocean waves crashing repeatedly on the shore under a heavy grey sky to add further ominous atmosphere to the dark psychological interactions. On the whole, this is a film that maybe takes a couple of viewings to appreciate and you definitely have to be in the right mood for it. But it's a bold and depressing film from Allen but one with many good things about it.