Cassandra's Dream
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Movie Reviews of Cassandra's Dream
Movie Review: Murder mystery or morality tale?
Summary: 3 Stars
Woody Allen is perhaps best known for his comedies, but lately, he has been making films that are reflection on our humanity and morality. To me personally, this film is almost a continuation of the "Match Point" film. Set in Europe (England) we get to know two brothers, young and handsome, uneducated but eager to make it big in the world. Both are hustlers. One gambles in poker and on dog races, while the other pretends to be hotelier while he is helping his father in the family restaurant. Unable to keep the charade about their well set life, one gambles too much and gets in trouble with the local loan sharks while the other gets tangled in the love affair with the girl that is beyond his means. In order to make money they both so desparately need, they agree to kill for hire and their paying customer is no one else but their own uncle.
Can these two drifters and small time thiefs adopt themselves to the fact that they are now murderers? How will that affect their lives and their relationship? Can money take care of everything, even conscience?
I still do not understand why Allen had this story setup in the lower class London when it could be set anywhere. Cockney accent was hard to follow at times and two brothers in their stupidity do look like two silly boys; in spite of the awful things they've done they look like two fools. Good casting, but a bit too pretentious. This is not by any means Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment". Aspirations are high, but these two characters are too superficial, uneducated and greedy to get (me at least) pitied for their actions.
Movie Review: Slick and Engaging But Lacks Emotional Resonance
Summary: 3 Stars
Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell) are brothers and they need money desperately for different reasons. Their concerned father (John Benfield), owner of failing restaurant, is of no help. But they have an uncle (Tom Wilkinson), rich, kind, and successful, and the brothers are happy to hear Uncle Howard is about to visit London. However, Uncle Howard has his own problem and asks Ian and Terry to do some favor for him.
What Uncle Howard wants the brothers to do should not be revealed here, but perhaps you have already guessed. Woody Allen's "Cassandra's Dream," which some people compare with Sidney Lumet's "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is a kind of crime story that you might expect from the creator of great "Crimes and Misdemeanors." Unfortunately, the characters' moral dilemma in "Cassandra's Dream" looks less convincing and the conclusion more unsatisfactory.
Both Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell deliver strong performance, though they can hardly look like brothers. The well-acted film has supports from talented players like Sally Hawkins and Hayley Atwell, but their characters remain somewhat underwritten.
Fast-paced "Cassandra's Dream" benefits from Vilmos Zsigmond's photography and Philip Glass's moody score, but I am afraid Allen's Dostoevsky-like crime tale never resonates with audiences in quite the same way as "Match Point" or some of his earlier works.
Movie Review: Could have been so much better
Summary: 3 Stars
I am new to Allen's movies. This is the second of his movies that I have watched (the first was Vicky Christina Barselona). To be honest, I am a little underwhelmed.
The story is interesting enough. Two working class brothers find themselves in some money troubles (one lost 90 thousand pounds playing pocker, another needs extra money to continue supporting his expensive love interest). They turn to their rich uncle for help. Uncle is supportive enough, but needs a favor in return. This favor is to kill a whistle-blower in his company who could ruin the uncle's business and reputation. The rest of the movie shows the brothers' doubts about the murder and their lives after it.
As you can see, the story is interesting and has a lot of potential. What the movie lacks is any kind of emotional depth. Somehow it just didn't move me. I don't know why. Was it uninspired directing? Or poor acting? I know Evan McGregor and Colin Farrell can act. I guess blame is on Woody...
Movie Review: Still Looking For Woody
Summary: 3 Stars
Okay, so Woody goes overseas (to London)in his role as director this time, gets two nice young working class brothers to commit to helping out dear old rich Uncle (he is family, after all) get rid of (for good, get it) a pesky member of his organization. The trials and tribulations (to speak nothing of the dialogue) are a little bit much as the two members of the gang who couldn't shoot straight are too far from Jersey to make this work, especially when one brother gets a little too remorseful for uncle and brother . What this film reminds me most of, in one sense, is that Woody is still conceptually conflicted about how Martin Landau got away with murder in Crimes and Misdemeanors and he wants to right the situation here. Given the material here the two brothers do okay but this is certainly not in the same league as C&M, which is arguably one of Woody's best works.
Movie Review: rather dark. why did I watch this.
Summary: 3 Stars
I like a lot of WA's movies. This one, however, is not a favorite. I got to the end of it and had to wonder why I just spent that time watching a big, stressful downer. That's just me though. Lovers of suspense films may like it. Very well acted and directed. It's just that I personally usually avoid trying to entertain myself by watching people suffer.