Most likely to be Woody's last battle as a Director, Rifkin's Festival is Woody's 50th+ movie he has both written and directed. A legendary filmmaker equal to the likes of Ingmar Bergman, Rifkin's Festival is not only a love letter to Woody's career in cinema, but it is also a statement of appreciation for Ingmar Bergman himself. Many scenes from the movie are either a parody or pay homage to Bergman's movies. At the end of Deconstructing Harry, Woody Allen mentions a new character named Rifkin as the movie ends. Seeing this more clearly as a fan of Woody Allen, I see more an more connections to all his movies as a whole collective. This makes Rifkin's Festival the perfect movie to end Woody Allen's career as America's greatest story teller and filmmaker of humor and relationships. Wallace Shawn finally gets the starring lead in a Woody Allen film after being the supporting character multiple times. It is hard not to see his self portrayal of himself in My Dinner with Andre when he walks alone in the streets of San Sebastián. He is mirroring his isolated walk of quiet desperation equal to his misery to My Dinner with Andre. Rifkin's Festival is also a departure from the typical Woody Allen movie where an older man flaunts over a younger, muse type figure. Here, the older woman is seduced by a younger man. However, the central character's struggle with regret, writing a novel and death are still center stage. What else would you want or expect from a Woody Allen movie? In the end, it's a great movie for Woody Allen fans.
68 Reviews
Enjoyable but unsurprising late Woody
anglital8 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Another charming if unsubstantial late-era Woody film. The usual WA tropes of older guy and younger woman (and vice versa this time with the Gina Gershon and Louis Garrel pairing), the same joke themes one has come to expect - death, illness, sex. Though this time Woody has done some nice pastiches of some of the Greats' films he admires - Bergman, Fellini, Bunuel. Wallace Shawn plays a good Woody alter ego, except we don't get him French kissing the delightful Elena Anaya, thankfully. The town looks wonderful. Some nice one-liners, of course. Worth a watch but don't expect anything shattering. Go along for the ride.
Wallace reciting Woody's genius...
tccandler28 November 2021
It isn't a great film, but I enjoyed spending time watching Wallace Shawn reciting Woody Allen's genius words about the meaning of life, the pretentiousness of art and the adrenaline of new love. Allen rarely disappoints... and this late-life crisis hits most of the classic notes.
And February Is a Short Month
drednm6 February 2021
Possibly more clever than outrightly funny, Woody Allen's charming RIFKIN'S FESTIVAL stars Wallace Shawn as a geeky film studies teacher who's attending the San Sebastian Film Festival with his wife (Gina Gershon), who's a publicist. As in his STARDUST MEMORIES, Allen shows he has little interest in box office, press conferences, fake glitz, and the self-anointed.
While Shawn trudges around the festival which promotes, in his opinion, garbage, he re-casts the situations in which he finds himself in scenes from his favorite films (but with the actors in this film). So we see these 4:3 B&W inserts of films by Truffaut, Bergman, Bunuel, Godard, Fellini, and a funny CITIZEN KANE bit.
Oy vey! Not as star studded as in days of yore, but some familiar faces show up, including Christoph Waltz as Death, Steve Guttenberg and Tammy Blanchard as Rifkin's brother and his wife, Richard Kind as Rifkin's father. We also get Elena Anaya as the doctor, Louis Garrel as the "star," and Douglas McGrath as Gil.
And Wallace Shawn does well as Woody's alter-ego, but he can't deliver a line or a joke with Woody's aplomb.
While Shawn trudges around the festival which promotes, in his opinion, garbage, he re-casts the situations in which he finds himself in scenes from his favorite films (but with the actors in this film). So we see these 4:3 B&W inserts of films by Truffaut, Bergman, Bunuel, Godard, Fellini, and a funny CITIZEN KANE bit.
Oy vey! Not as star studded as in days of yore, but some familiar faces show up, including Christoph Waltz as Death, Steve Guttenberg and Tammy Blanchard as Rifkin's brother and his wife, Richard Kind as Rifkin's father. We also get Elena Anaya as the doctor, Louis Garrel as the "star," and Douglas McGrath as Gil.
And Wallace Shawn does well as Woody's alter-ego, but he can't deliver a line or a joke with Woody's aplomb.
A tribute to cinema, existentialism and Woody Allen's career
pereira-phillip12 April 2021
A tribute to cinema, existentialism and Woody Allen's career.
Great story, great lines, great directing but I think casting wasn't good enough. We all know that after the allegations against Woody Allen (and I have no doubt of his innocence) casting would be a little hard to do.
Wallace Shaun isn't cogent being a couple with Gina Gershon, but he's delivered a good interpretation.
At the end, is a clear tribute to Bergman, with some points of Godard, Truffaut and Woody Allen's career.
Great story, great lines, great directing but I think casting wasn't good enough. We all know that after the allegations against Woody Allen (and I have no doubt of his innocence) casting would be a little hard to do.
Wallace Shaun isn't cogent being a couple with Gina Gershon, but he's delivered a good interpretation.
At the end, is a clear tribute to Bergman, with some points of Godard, Truffaut and Woody Allen's career.
Wonderful scenery
wlhird-1075824 October 2021
Enjoyably unsurprising.
Victor_Fallon19 September 2021
Romantic city. Gyspsy jazz. Film talk. Infidelity. The usual. It's well written, well acted and well-trodden. But not bad! The various 'homages' to classic filmmakers shows Woody can still have fun with his ideas. The cinematography by Vittorio Storaro is a massive improvement from the last Woody project ("Rainy Day in NY") which was dreadful to look at. It seems the production went smoother this time around.
There are many fleeting characters that deliver quality lines throughout the vignettes. Some of their stories would have been worth pursuing. Carmen Salta appears on screen for 10 seconds, but I wish the film was about her.
I agree with other critics that Wallace Shawn (a fine character actor) is miscast in the lead. His pairing with Gina Gershon doesn't work on any level. Neither perfomer can overcome the romantic chasm between them. At no point did I believe they were ever lovers, let alone married.
Gershon acts well, but Shawn delivers his lines glacially, often in an ironic tone which doesn't gel with the rest of the cast. For some reason he has cheap, ill-fitting clothes in every scene. I'm sure he's capable of playing a confident writer, or even an esoteric lady's man, but Woody directs him as a daydreaming loser who can barely dress himself.
Overall, it is an episodic, trivial romance, lacking the spark of better works like "Vicky Cristina Barcelona". But, it's gently amusing and still worth a watch.
There are many fleeting characters that deliver quality lines throughout the vignettes. Some of their stories would have been worth pursuing. Carmen Salta appears on screen for 10 seconds, but I wish the film was about her.
I agree with other critics that Wallace Shawn (a fine character actor) is miscast in the lead. His pairing with Gina Gershon doesn't work on any level. Neither perfomer can overcome the romantic chasm between them. At no point did I believe they were ever lovers, let alone married.
Gershon acts well, but Shawn delivers his lines glacially, often in an ironic tone which doesn't gel with the rest of the cast. For some reason he has cheap, ill-fitting clothes in every scene. I'm sure he's capable of playing a confident writer, or even an esoteric lady's man, but Woody directs him as a daydreaming loser who can barely dress himself.
Overall, it is an episodic, trivial romance, lacking the spark of better works like "Vicky Cristina Barcelona". But, it's gently amusing and still worth a watch.
Better ending than beginning
Castorian8 March 2021
Even if it's the same Woody Allen's topics of all these years, It's better than I thought. Has some dull parts in the middle, but its pace improves towards the end, specially with the acting of the lady playing doctor Jo Rojas and the crazy Sergi Lopez cameo. Rifkin's character gains some depth, too, as the movie approaches to the end. And the scene with Waltz is absolutely hilarious, maybe the only good jokes of all the movie.
Loved the black & white, as well, but I keep wondering if Allen will surprise his public again with a final masterpiece. We can always hope.
Loved the black & white, as well, but I keep wondering if Allen will surprise his public again with a final masterpiece. We can always hope.
this movie is a crime
Iwould10 May 2021
No, just no. Please, Woody, stop here. It's ok, you have done more than much in your life, you are one of the most important icons in movie history. I grew up worshipping you. You should now take a well deserved rest, or retirement, call it how you prefer, just please stop making sloppy movies. I know that you believe that all your movies are sloppy, so you might think "Who cares? One more bad thing won't make any difference". It does. Your 27th work was Deconstructing Harry, a masterpiece, like many others before: but after that we have seen 22 useless exercises, steadily decreasing in quality over the years, and now with this thing you really have started to dig in the dirt. If this movie was delivered as final work for a cinema class, the student would be rejected. The dialogues are flat, not funny. The screenplay is a repetition of previous subjects (were you so unhappy with Stardust Memories? I thought you liked it! Why did you make this tired and sad reboot?). The casting is so wrong that you could improve it just by randomly switching the roles among the actors, with the lone exception of Cristoph Waltz who was great, for the two minutes he was on screen, so I will award a star for every minute of him doing Death, but this is it.
Lovingly Hommage to Classic European Cinema
berndgeiling11 July 2022
One of Woody's better artistic achievements after a few disturbingly disappointing movies he made over the last years.
Wallace Shawn might not be the perfect actor in the lead, and as a fan of Allen's work it's easy to recognize all his repetitive motifs, but somehow the beauty of the locations and the camera work, the charming aspects of the story worked out for me here. I can totally see how much Allen loves the European Cinema of the last century, it's clear he mourns that this kind of cinematic art is slowly getting lost in our times of ignorance and stupidity, and his parodistic sequences of citing Fellini, Bergman, Lelouch, Godard, Bunuel and Truffaut are funny and a bit melancholic to watch at. But of course to fully enjoy it you need to know the artists and films he's referring to.
Wallace Shawn might not be the perfect actor in the lead, and as a fan of Allen's work it's easy to recognize all his repetitive motifs, but somehow the beauty of the locations and the camera work, the charming aspects of the story worked out for me here. I can totally see how much Allen loves the European Cinema of the last century, it's clear he mourns that this kind of cinematic art is slowly getting lost in our times of ignorance and stupidity, and his parodistic sequences of citing Fellini, Bergman, Lelouch, Godard, Bunuel and Truffaut are funny and a bit melancholic to watch at. But of course to fully enjoy it you need to know the artists and films he's referring to.
"Despite all my talk about existential freedom and Dionysius...I'm a middle-class Jew from the Bronx."
moonspinner5530 November 2021
The latest comedy from writer-director Woody Allen is an odd one from the get-go: Wallace Shawn stands in for the leading man (in what would normally be the typical Allen role) of an essay writer/film history teacher/would-be novelist who must accompany his press agent wife to Spain for the San Sebastian Festival. There, she becomes smitten with a "pretentious film director" from France while disparaging her husband's neuroses, while he harbors chest pains and harks back to his past disappointments by dreaming himself into various scenarios which emulate Welles, Fellini, Truffaut, et al. Despite his age (he was 75 or 76 when this film was shot), Shawn is more than capable at carrying a comedy--his instantly identifiable voice is a pleasure to listen to. However, this type of comedy--one centering on the relationship of a married couple (one wherein the husband is busy pondering the Meaning of Life and the wife is played by glamorous Gina Gershon)--is not a proper fit for Shawn. The actor's ultra-casual clothes and balding head are probably meant to be endearing, but when his character expresses the same old Woody Allen hang-ups (such as the eternal "Why are we here?"), one can't help questioning this man's agenda...has he been asking "Why are we here?" all this time? The lack of really sharp one-liners makes itself felt, but the supporting cast is fine, the production is handsome, and Allen keeps a smooth, jaunty pace. ** from ****
Woody Allen's gift to Film Buffs!
middleburg11 June 2022
Excellent, imaginative, entertaining, and the blending of Classic "Art House Cinema" (We used to call it) with Allen's traditional relationship angst is unbelievably clever and even intriguing. It helps to be a film buff and know all the films being parodied in such a brand new way! A winner!
Classic Woody Allen.
hourcadette10 April 2021
Good but not too good
gianmarcoronconi30 August 2021
Full of quotes from old movies and this one is very cool, but beyond that the movie has no bite. Really really flat film that deals with the theme of love in a banal and obvious way without any twist or thing that makes it interesting. Moreover, we feel the tremendous lack of the character of Woody Allen who would have given more color to the film. But in the end it remains a good movie.
Another great Woody Allen movie 10/10
bruce-1291 April 2021
I am wanting like crazy to see this movie. I keep looking for it
and I keep reading about it, and seeing video previews of it,
but nothing is out yet. Why isn't Amazon showing it?
What I do see is that most reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes and elsewhere are prejudicially rating this very low, and clearly the reason is peer pressure. Since the absurd "hatchet job" documentary as Woody calls it "Allen V. Farrow" was released with HBO's name on it people are afraid to say anything good about Woody or his movies, and certainly will not release them without some kind of fight. This is a whole national witch hunt - but directed at one very famous and prominent American genius of a filmmaker. It is just not right.
This is so unfair and prejudicial that I feel totally correct and justified to give "Rifkin's Festival" a 10/10 stars to attempt to do my tiny part to rebalance the ratings just a little bit. I believe Woody.
The idea that Woody after 2 investigations and another to determined if he and SoonYi were fit to adopt children would have molested Dylan Farrow while an entire household of people were told to keep an eye on him,for 10 minutes in an attic, that is so small that even if a train set was up there even a little kid could not even fit up there - it's ridiculous. 30 years later he is still being dogged but these absurd accusations. Even Mia Farrow did not hold Roman Polanky guilty for drugging and raping a 13 year old girl ... so, this is all about Mia and her festering hate and vengeance.
So, as soon as I see this movie, if I need to I will return and adjust the rating should need be, but Woody's movies are so great I doubt the occasion will arise.
What I do see is that most reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes and elsewhere are prejudicially rating this very low, and clearly the reason is peer pressure. Since the absurd "hatchet job" documentary as Woody calls it "Allen V. Farrow" was released with HBO's name on it people are afraid to say anything good about Woody or his movies, and certainly will not release them without some kind of fight. This is a whole national witch hunt - but directed at one very famous and prominent American genius of a filmmaker. It is just not right.
This is so unfair and prejudicial that I feel totally correct and justified to give "Rifkin's Festival" a 10/10 stars to attempt to do my tiny part to rebalance the ratings just a little bit. I believe Woody.
The idea that Woody after 2 investigations and another to determined if he and SoonYi were fit to adopt children would have molested Dylan Farrow while an entire household of people were told to keep an eye on him,for 10 minutes in an attic, that is so small that even if a train set was up there even a little kid could not even fit up there - it's ridiculous. 30 years later he is still being dogged but these absurd accusations. Even Mia Farrow did not hold Roman Polanky guilty for drugging and raping a 13 year old girl ... so, this is all about Mia and her festering hate and vengeance.
So, as soon as I see this movie, if I need to I will return and adjust the rating should need be, but Woody's movies are so great I doubt the occasion will arise.
A melancholic and autumnal Allen
danybur20 January 2022
Summary
Another "Mozartian" but more melancholic and autumnal comedy from the master Woody Allen, with many cinephile dates, crises of uneven couples and some darts against film festivals.
For various reasons, for some time some of the critics have been quite ruthless with Woody Allen, demanding an uninterrupted succession of masterpieces. No prolific author like him is capable of it, but Allen continues to give us undeniable glimpses of his usual genius in this film.
Review
Mort Rifkin (actor and playwright Wallace Shawn) is a mature former film professor and writer who is attending the San Sebastian Festival with his wife Sue (Gina Gershon). Sue is a press agent for Philippe, a young filmmaker (Louis Garrel), and maybe something else...
Mort (another clear alter ego of the director) feels displaced in Sue's attention by the petulant and beautiful Philippe and certain circumstances make him meet a Spanish woman (Elena Anaya) to whom he feels immediately attracted.
More than once I have called Woody Allen the Mozart of filmmakers: several of his films can be equated, in style, treatment and theme, with masterpieces by the composer such as Cosi fan tutte, The Marriage of Figaro or Don Giovanni. Couples in crisis, jealousy, crosses, misunderstandings, with touches of humor, but brimming with humanity. And this is the case with this film, at least partially. Furthermore, he is a prolific director like the composers of that century.
In this film, the comedy is more shifted towards melancholy, focusing on the age difference between a mature man and his younger wife (and young women in general) and perhaps for the first time in his filmography, in a reverse situation too. The theme, of course, is recurrent in the work and life of the director, but here it occurs in a more frank and autumnal way. It would also seem deliberately that Allen chose a physically unattractive actor like Shawn to reinforce that contrast. Without reaching the forcefulness of his other films, the fearsome scenes of the director's matrimonial bedroom, in this case, however, fulfill his mission very well. Note that several scenes are filmed in still shots or sequence shots, which reinforces their naturalness.
Through Shawn, the director manifests his cinephile predilection for the great masters of European cinema of yesteryear, whom he "quotes" with uneven wit, but always quite literally in several passages of the film. It must be said that one of those quotes is remarkable and marks one of the highest points of the film; others are resolved in a more humorous way. Allen also doesn't shy away from throwing in quick, pointed comments here and there about current film festivals.
The leading quartet of actors is very good in their roles and the beauty of San Sebastian is transformed into another of the characters in the film.
For various reasons, critics have been quite ruthless with Woody Allen for some time, demanding an uninterrupted succession of masterpieces. No prolific author is capable of it, but Allen continues to give us undeniable glimpses of his usual genius in this film.
Another "Mozartian" but more melancholic and autumnal comedy from the master Woody Allen, with many cinephile dates, crises of uneven couples and some darts against film festivals.
For various reasons, for some time some of the critics have been quite ruthless with Woody Allen, demanding an uninterrupted succession of masterpieces. No prolific author like him is capable of it, but Allen continues to give us undeniable glimpses of his usual genius in this film.
Review
Mort Rifkin (actor and playwright Wallace Shawn) is a mature former film professor and writer who is attending the San Sebastian Festival with his wife Sue (Gina Gershon). Sue is a press agent for Philippe, a young filmmaker (Louis Garrel), and maybe something else...
Mort (another clear alter ego of the director) feels displaced in Sue's attention by the petulant and beautiful Philippe and certain circumstances make him meet a Spanish woman (Elena Anaya) to whom he feels immediately attracted.
More than once I have called Woody Allen the Mozart of filmmakers: several of his films can be equated, in style, treatment and theme, with masterpieces by the composer such as Cosi fan tutte, The Marriage of Figaro or Don Giovanni. Couples in crisis, jealousy, crosses, misunderstandings, with touches of humor, but brimming with humanity. And this is the case with this film, at least partially. Furthermore, he is a prolific director like the composers of that century.
In this film, the comedy is more shifted towards melancholy, focusing on the age difference between a mature man and his younger wife (and young women in general) and perhaps for the first time in his filmography, in a reverse situation too. The theme, of course, is recurrent in the work and life of the director, but here it occurs in a more frank and autumnal way. It would also seem deliberately that Allen chose a physically unattractive actor like Shawn to reinforce that contrast. Without reaching the forcefulness of his other films, the fearsome scenes of the director's matrimonial bedroom, in this case, however, fulfill his mission very well. Note that several scenes are filmed in still shots or sequence shots, which reinforces their naturalness.
Through Shawn, the director manifests his cinephile predilection for the great masters of European cinema of yesteryear, whom he "quotes" with uneven wit, but always quite literally in several passages of the film. It must be said that one of those quotes is remarkable and marks one of the highest points of the film; others are resolved in a more humorous way. Allen also doesn't shy away from throwing in quick, pointed comments here and there about current film festivals.
The leading quartet of actors is very good in their roles and the beauty of San Sebastian is transformed into another of the characters in the film.
For various reasons, critics have been quite ruthless with Woody Allen for some time, demanding an uninterrupted succession of masterpieces. No prolific author is capable of it, but Allen continues to give us undeniable glimpses of his usual genius in this film.
International Feel
Intermissionman_13 February 2022
Mort (Wallace Shawn) is Irritatingly Funny. His visits to Dr Rojas (Elena Anaya) are like a Teenage Crush. Feisty Scenes with Wife (Gina Gershon) and Phillipe (Louis Garrel) Filmed in Spain. It's a Woody Allen Movie with Jazzy Soundtrack. I Love to attend Film Festivals but have yet to make it over the Pond.
Woody ALLEN in San Sebastian
ZeddaZogenau4 November 2023
At 85, Woody ALLEN is no longer reinventing the wheel, but he can still beautifully pay homage to his revered master directors BERGMAN, FELLINI, GODARD, LELOUCH, RESNAIS, TRUFFAUT, WELLES.
A frumpy Woody Allen character (this time played by Wallace SHAWN), who is of course married to a much younger beauty (Gina GERSHON), attends the San Sebastian Film Festival. His wife does press work for a gifted young director (Louis GARREL) from France, the old Zausel has nothing to do. He just has to fall for an extremely attractive doctor (Elena ANAYA), who is also married to a crazy painter husband (Sergi LOPEZ as a poor man's Picasso). You then re-enact famous scenes from film history in your dreams.
Wonderfully over-the-top, ALLEN offers what it has been offering for 45 years: nothing new, but very charming and exaggeratedly neurotic! In other roles there is a reunion with Steve GUTTENBERG and ACADEMY AWARD winner Christoph WALTZ, who creates a small monument to Max von SYDOW. Allen's fans are noticeably fewer, so that so far only 3,956 tickets have been sold in the German box office. But it was still amusing!
A frumpy Woody Allen character (this time played by Wallace SHAWN), who is of course married to a much younger beauty (Gina GERSHON), attends the San Sebastian Film Festival. His wife does press work for a gifted young director (Louis GARREL) from France, the old Zausel has nothing to do. He just has to fall for an extremely attractive doctor (Elena ANAYA), who is also married to a crazy painter husband (Sergi LOPEZ as a poor man's Picasso). You then re-enact famous scenes from film history in your dreams.
Wonderfully over-the-top, ALLEN offers what it has been offering for 45 years: nothing new, but very charming and exaggeratedly neurotic! In other roles there is a reunion with Steve GUTTENBERG and ACADEMY AWARD winner Christoph WALTZ, who creates a small monument to Max von SYDOW. Allen's fans are noticeably fewer, so that so far only 3,956 tickets have been sold in the German box office. But it was still amusing!
Woody does it again, and again and again...
ayoreinf4 September 2021
The intellectual loser, who's an expert in cinema, who's marriage is falling apart forced into a personal soul searching, while parodying cinema, the cinematic industry, the western culture and so on. Woody himself has done it so many times no wonder he's an expert on the subject.
Yes, one still chuckles at the right times because the dream parodies are spot on. Because Wallace Shawn is perfect as an incarnation of Woody's old comic persona and as a rule - Woody is a professional. But I used to really love his genius, his brilliance, his complex philosophical meandering that had an ironic smile accompanying them. These are gone now all that is left is a tired professional who does one film a year because that's his way of making a living (that's what Woody himself said). I'm sorry, when I see one of Woody's movies - I want more, and I couldn't find it here.
Yes, one still chuckles at the right times because the dream parodies are spot on. Because Wallace Shawn is perfect as an incarnation of Woody's old comic persona and as a rule - Woody is a professional. But I used to really love his genius, his brilliance, his complex philosophical meandering that had an ironic smile accompanying them. These are gone now all that is left is a tired professional who does one film a year because that's his way of making a living (that's what Woody himself said). I'm sorry, when I see one of Woody's movies - I want more, and I couldn't find it here.
Love Woody, but not this movie.
chuckster-17 September 2021
I'm a lifetime Woody fan, and I went into "Rifkin's Festival" with a lot of goodwill, but it felt really stodgy and dated. The actors do a uniformly great job, and it looks great courtesy of the legendary cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, but I felt like this was the kind of thing Woody could write in his sleep, because it was the same dialogue (especially tinny-sounding this time) and themes we already know from fifty of his other movies, and in a kind of uninspired way. I also cringed a little when Wallace Shawn kept hitting on the pretty doctor, Elena Anaya, even after she initially turned him down. We're definitely lucky that we still have this masterful filmmaker delivering a film once a year, but I wish this one had been much better.
Best Tourist Ad For San Sebastian
ags12320 March 2022
Though "Rifkin's Festival" can't compare with Woody Allen's greater works, it is nonetheless full of intelligent observations and polished direction. Wallace Shawn is a weak leading player and the film would have been a lot stronger had Woody himself played the part. Gina Gershon fares better as the ditsy, distracted wife, though viewers will find themselves picturing previous female partners in the role. The fantasy sequences - loving tributes to classic films - enliven what at times becomes rather slow going. The glorious San Sebastian scenery alone is worth watching.
..... And I love Woody's films
levybob8 February 2022
In Woody Allen's 'Rifkin's Festival' Wallace Shawn's character meets 'Death'. 'How long do I have?', Shawn asks. "You a smoker?' Death answers.
Ok. Now that I've told you the only thing worth watching in Allen's latest, you won't have to watch the rest. I did you a favor. I gave you ninety-two minutes with which you can do something worthwhile. Or not. It's your life, after all.
The 'Rifkin' in this film (Shawn as stand-in for Woody) is married to a much younger and highly attractive woman, played by Gina Gershon. And if this ain't Woody-enough for you, Rifkin is in love with, and fantasizing about, and for all we know almost bedding, an equally attractive young woman who is also his doctor. That Allen has not learned that this older-man younger-woman dynamic has worn thin amazes me. Or that it plays into the hands of his angriest critics. But Allen seems tone-deaf to the real world goings-on around him. And this makes me sad.
Oh, the film. Impossibly terrible dialogue. A story that goes nowhere. Wooden (no pun) performances; so wooden you'd swear the actors are truly made of wood. This is awful stuff.
But if somehow you want, you need, some other more-recent Woody? Ok. Try these. Blue Jasmin. Midnight in Paris. Vicky Christina Barcelona. Deconstructing Harry. Match Point. All good. Some great.
There, I did you another favor.
Ok. Now that I've told you the only thing worth watching in Allen's latest, you won't have to watch the rest. I did you a favor. I gave you ninety-two minutes with which you can do something worthwhile. Or not. It's your life, after all.
The 'Rifkin' in this film (Shawn as stand-in for Woody) is married to a much younger and highly attractive woman, played by Gina Gershon. And if this ain't Woody-enough for you, Rifkin is in love with, and fantasizing about, and for all we know almost bedding, an equally attractive young woman who is also his doctor. That Allen has not learned that this older-man younger-woman dynamic has worn thin amazes me. Or that it plays into the hands of his angriest critics. But Allen seems tone-deaf to the real world goings-on around him. And this makes me sad.
Oh, the film. Impossibly terrible dialogue. A story that goes nowhere. Wooden (no pun) performances; so wooden you'd swear the actors are truly made of wood. This is awful stuff.
But if somehow you want, you need, some other more-recent Woody? Ok. Try these. Blue Jasmin. Midnight in Paris. Vicky Christina Barcelona. Deconstructing Harry. Match Point. All good. Some great.
There, I did you another favor.
Keep Going Mr. Allen
martinvives6 October 2020
I just read an article suggesting Woody Allen should retire because he no longer makes good movies and so on. I am not a film critic, but as a film fan that has been enjoying his films at least once a year for quite some time, I beg to differ.
It would have been easy for him to make a film every 7 years give or take like many do and discard everything in between. In my opinion the way he has done things is braver and his fans are thankful for that.
Yes, perhaps he is an ageing "star" but for people who have grown used to his humor and literary and cinematic references, watching his films is still more enjoyable than the random Hollywood offering.
Perhaps this film is not one of his strongest ones, but these times are surely trying, and perhaps, even more for him. Even then, once a year, I still count on him.
It would have been easy for him to make a film every 7 years give or take like many do and discard everything in between. In my opinion the way he has done things is braver and his fans are thankful for that.
Yes, perhaps he is an ageing "star" but for people who have grown used to his humor and literary and cinematic references, watching his films is still more enjoyable than the random Hollywood offering.
Perhaps this film is not one of his strongest ones, but these times are surely trying, and perhaps, even more for him. Even then, once a year, I still count on him.
A Nice Escape
vacommish15 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Fans of Woody Allen will love the Spanish escape. Beautiful scenery. The music and story are simple and loverly. Gina Gershon is great casting, though Wallace Shawn is a bid old of Mort. The Woody Allen delivery punchline is missed, as is some of the passion and emotion from Mort (is that what we get as we age?).
The Christoph Waltz cameo is awesome. Would love to see him featured in a more conventional Allen film, if there is one to come.
The Christoph Waltz cameo is awesome. Would love to see him featured in a more conventional Allen film, if there is one to come.
A shadow of the shadow of the shadow of his best worl
mateolg315 August 2021
Woody Allen attempt to makes us fall in love with charming San Sebastian fails at every step of the way. He reuses his known "unhappy marriage" plots to yet again talk about how complicated it is to be in a relationship. Bland performances. Not even the city of San Sebastian saves this movie, with uninteresting photography that fails to capture any kind of uniqueness or nuance. He portrays San Sebastian as a generic coastal city with no particular interest.
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