Jack and I enjoyed Woody Allen's story about 1920s magicians trying to discredit a psychic medium in Europe. Colin Firth's Stanley is an arrogant Englishman and Emma Stone's Sophie an adorable American, as usual for her. As usual for Allen, the movie has luxurious locations and set dressing, Dixieland jazz, and talky characters, not to mention wonderful wardrobe and picture cars, including an awesome Alfa Romeo.
Firth (last blogged in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) demonstrates his comedy chops as he performs in yellow face (reviled by some Asian groups today, but not uncommon for the period) and cruises around the French Riviera in the aforementioned autos. Stone (most recently in The Amazing Spider-Man 2), no stranger to comedy, is "a visionary and a vision," as quoted by the besotted Brice, played by Hamish Linklater (last in these pages in The Future), who has some wonderful bits. Many other stars fill out the cast, too numerous to mention.
Cinematographer Darius Khondji (lauded in my post on The Immigrant) deserves mention for more beautiful images. Another Allen standard practice applies here--songs but no music composed specifically for the picture.
I caught only one instance of the customary carping that Allen often writes for one female character, but now, two weeks later, I can't remember exactly when or who.
Allen's big hit last year was Blue Jasmine, for which he was nominated for writing. Although highly regarded in our local newspaper for a change, this one wasn't well received by critics on Rotten Tomatoes, who average 48%, with audiences only a little better at 58. We liked it a lot and recommend it for date night or any escapist entertainment.
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