I admit, they are first class. Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements. Two brothers, Ian and Terry, love to sail. The purchase of the pleasure craft in which they are seen cruising, fulfills their passion for the sea. Little prepares them for the sort of Greek tragedy they will become embroiled in, when things go haywire. Ian is an ambitious man who sees himself with a future in real estate. Terry, on the other hand, is a happy man as long as he is fixing cars at the garage where he works, or at the gambling table, where he loves to try his luck.
The arrival of their uncle, Howard, a rich man who lives in Los Angeles, changes their lives completely. He proposes to their nephews to help him eliminate a man who is about to accuse him of illegal activities in his business and he faces a probable period in jail.
What to do? Terry wants no part in the matter. Ian, who sees the opportunity for getting ahead, has no problem in convincing his brother to help in eliminating this person. The dynamic in the relationship between the brothers changes completely. Terry, whose conscience begins bothering him, tells his brother he will confess his participation. Ian, who sees himself closer to the realization of his dreams, has another thing in mind. When we last see the brothers together is in the boat that was supposed to be a bond between them.
In an ironic twist, like in all Greek tragedies, their lives are changed completely. Woody Allen has been working in Europe lately to amazing results.
This film doesn't quite compare with "Match Point", one of his best films lately, but it is never dull, or boring. Thankfully, he has stayed behind the camera this time and it is an improvement when he is completely in control of what he wanted to achieve. He wanted to explore how siblings relations can end in tragedy by presenting two men that having come from the same background can go in different directions.
We liked Colin Farrell in the role of Terry. He gives a restrained performance making us care for this gentle soul that is thrown into a complicated situation just to please his brother. Ewan McGregor is not quite as convincing though.
It could be the fact one feels no sympathy for his boundless ambition. Tom Wilkinson, a good character actor, doesn't have much to do.
Hayley Atwell makes a beautiful Angela and Sally Hawkins has some good moments in the film. Somehow the music by Phillip Glass doesn't add anything to the story.
He has dome much better in other films. Vilmos Zsigmond's camera work captures the atmosphere of the present day London. Woody Allen's dark drama of two brothers who get in over their heads financially and in turning to an uncle for help find themselves going down a road they will undoubtedly regret. Well acted and well made movie by the Woodman gets lost about half way in as the film parallels some of the darkness of his earlier films.
Even allowing for the self borrowing the plot only goes so far before it begins to skid. Ya know I can't really explain it with out saying too much.
I will say that the end left me cold, not so much for what it was, rather for how it was done. Ultimately I think I'm mostly annoyed since Woody Allen has hit a level of film craftsmanship with the last bunch of films that would be the equal to Clint Eastwood's current run except that Woody can't get manage to write a script that works all the way through.
I defy anyone to duck into a cinema in order to get out of the rain with no idea what was playing, enter after the opening credits and know they're watching a Woody Allen movie. Some other reviewers here have spoken of actual laughs which I find incredible as I didn't spot one, least of all an intentional one and I wish one of them would post a list - actually ONE would do.
Don't get me wrong, I like Woody as much as the next guy and I've even defended some of his stuff that others have condemned but here I have to throw my hands up in despair. This is exactly like the worst kind of Britsh film from the fifties, made for a stick of gum and full of people like Michael Gough and Christine Norden on bad days. If Ewan McGregor was depending on this movie to get other work he'd be lucky to get a job cleaning cars because clearly he decided to phone it in. I could come up with a better, more convincing plot myself but my Beano's late this week.
Woody Allen sticks with thrillers after the brilliant "Match Point" and good "Scoop". This doesn't measure up to either, but is decent enough nonetheless. Is very good for the most part. Allen takes his time to set the scene and sketch the characters, but it isn't boring or contrived. The story moves along smoothly and effortlessly. However, the ending felt rushed, and a bit predictable.
After the slow build up, the pacing was inconsistent. Felt a bit flat, and left down, at the end, as I was expecting a more left field or symbolic ending. Woody Allen's continuing arc of murderous films set in London continues with this fairly decent offering about two brothers McGregor and Farrell, both equally fine here who both want more out of life but find their gambling ways and family loyalties are quite the hindrance until their beloved uncle Wilkinson enters the picture offering them their chance to make it with one condition: kill off an associate who is determined to ruin their relative and possibly send him to jail for the rest of his life.
Allen makes good use of the English locales and his ensemble is game but even the sure thing twist of fate is a tad predictable in another wise game effort. First with "Match Point" and now with "Cassandra's Dream," Woody Allen has carved a new niche for himself as director of juicy little British thrillers, like something right out of Patricia Highsmith. It's quite well done; the story bears remarkable resemblance to another film that came out last year, Sidney Lumet's "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," but it doesn't feel like a rip-off.
Just as in "Match Point," which was an updated version of "An American Tragedy," Allen takes familiar material but makes it feel original. Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell play brothers, one sharp and ambitious, the other dumber and nicer, who find themselves in need of financial help from their jet-setting uncle played by Tom Wilkinson in a couple of brief scenes , and agree to murder the chief witness in an upcoming investigation into the uncle's business practices in exchange for his assistance.
The requisite pangs of guilt ensue, the brothers' worlds start to unravel, and everything ends in a tragic but inevitable conclusion. The film is full of the same preoccupations of Greek tragedy -- fate, guilt and hubris -- that Allen frequently examines in his comedies, and that more than anything identify this as a Woody Allen movie.
The acting is quite good, and even if the writing doesn't offer anything profound, Allen knows enough about the basics of dramatic narrative to ensure that everything is developed well and logically. I wasn't on the edge of my seat the way I was while watching "Match Point," but I was pretty engrossed.
Grade: A-. Woody Allen proves his versatility once again by writing-directing a serious movie, set in London, with working-class leading characters. It's a delicate mix of slice-of-life, character drama, a small dose of black comedy "What are you doing there, plotting an assassination?
Most of the suspense, however, is of the cerebral kind. Allen gets the viewer thinking: "Will they go through with it? A fine ensemble cast, Philip Glass' haunting score, and Vilmos Zsigmond's vivid cinematography complete the package of one of Allen's most provocative and underrated films, although his staging does feel a tad "TV-ish" at times. Greetings again from the darkness.
Although not quite at the level of "Scoop" or especially "Match Point", this one is still entertaining and has more than a few classic Woody moments. The acting in this one is top notch. Ewan McGregor and Collin Farrell are working class brothers who just can't seem to get things right in their lives.
Farrell plays the weaker one who has more than a small gambling and drinking problem despite the dedication of Sally Hawkins in a nice performance. McGregor is the slicker of the two and has high ideals about what he could accomplish if not held back by his parents' restaurant. When he falls hard for an actress, played by Hayley Atwell, he sets himself up for some bad decision making. One of the best movie scenes you will find is the one with McGregor and Farrell and Tom Wilkinson holding a very animated conversation under the tree in the rain.
The camera work and sound really compliment terrific performances and crackling dialogue. That one scene is worth the price of admission. The moral of the story seems to be, if you must have a partner while committing murder, at least make sure it's not a weak at heart partner who has a conscience! My biggest question in this one is how could these two parents ever conceive such attractive sons??
The camera work is complimented by another great score from Philip Glass. Can't wait!! I had a strange reaction to this film. Much like most Woody Allen fans, I don't expect much from him nowadays.
That leads some to be easily impressed by a film by Vicky Cristina Barcelona. I wasn't, though, when I saw it last weekend. The good reviews unfortunately had gotten my hopes up, and I even threw his previous film, Cassandra's Dream, up on my Netflix queue. But I forced myself to watch it anyway.
The thing was, at first my low expectations were a great asset. Ewan McGregor as Ian Blaine. Colin Farrell as Terry Blaine. John Benfield as Mr. Reviews Never name a boat 'Cassandra' unless you know who she was. Roger Ebert January 17, Now streaming on:. Powered by JustWatch.
By Roger Ebert Woody Allen's "Cassandra's Dream" is about two brothers, one single and modestly successful and one struggling but in a happy relationship, who are both desperate to raise money, and agree to commit a crime together. Now playing. Ida Red Glenn Kenny. Spencer Monica Castillo. I will mention that his second collaboration with Vilmos Zsigmond proves to be one of the rare Allen films where the cinematography actually possesses value - few directors have been better at neutering some of the world's finest cinematographers, particularly Sven Nykvist.
I should also probably mention that the score by Philip Glass is, if I am not mistaken, the first time that music was written for a Woody Allen film.
It's a good fit: both the composer and the filmmaker have long since retreated from the invention of their earlier careers to simply repeat their familiar styles in increasingly stale ways. So anyway, I liked the movie, but I'm not sure if I liked it the right way, and I'm not sure if anyone else would like it.
It's just not worth the time, I'm afraid: the themes are interesting enough, but expressed better elsewhere, even in the director's canon, and it seems pretty safe to say that this one is for Woody Allen partisans only; if you're not already a fan, this isn't going to be the film that changes your mind.
It appears that Allen's celebrated British revival period has petered out. Categories: british cinema , woody allen. Naked View on Twitter. Alternate Ending Alternate Ending was formed when three friends realized they all shared a passion for movies. Our goal is to save you time and money by sharing our thoughts and recommendations on which movies to race to theaters for, which to watch at home and those to actively avoid.
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