Café Society
Review by Paul Preston
Welcome to Today I Watched…, a series of posts documenting my new challenge – watch a movie a day for the rest of my life. Keep coming back to TheMovieGuys.net to find out what I watch each day…and get my take on it.
When I see a movie that’s a new release in theaters or for home viewing, I’ll give it a proper review in the “Reviews”, otherwise, I’ll write about it here.
March 1, 2017 – Café Society
Woody Allen has a stunning track record for consistency, releasing one movie every year for FORTY-SIX years. I have to believe that record will stand forever. No one will touch that pace.
Along that path, he’s created long-lasting trends – The Mia Farrow Era, The Diane Keaton Era, The Europe-set Films Era. His current trend is that Woody’s movies have recently become like the original Star Trek films, every other one is good. I’m willing to be patient through a mediocre To Rome With Love and charming Magic in the Moonlight to get to Midnight in Paris and Blue Jasmine. Now, after the I-dare-you-to-remember-it Irrational Man comes a very, very high point in Woody’s recent films – Café Society.
Woody often has that doppleganger character of his front and center in his films where he himself doesn’t act. They can be inspired choices (John Cusack) or strange ones (Kenneth Branagh). Café Society’s main character, Bobby Dorfman, is played by why-didn’t-we-think-of-this-guy-for-Woody’s-likeness-before casting choice Jesse Eisenberg. It’s an excellent fit. In the 1930s, Bobby arrives from New York in Los Angeles (where Woody doesn’t shoot enough) to connect with his uncle (Steve Carell) for work and becomes smitten with his young secretary (Kristen Stewart, not exactly flourishing, but being passable in a period piece). The result is the usual romantic entaglements that Woody delves into, but cast in the middle of one of his most gorgeous looking movies to date.
No less than Vittorio Storaro shot this film. His rich use of colors and smooth camera movements create a time period L.A. that is dripping in beauty. How Storaro’s achievement here, after more than a decade working outside the states, wasn’t recognized by more awards, including Oscar, is baffling. He’s returning to do Woody’s next film and I won’t miss it. Also, longtime Allen film production designer Santo Loquasto builds magnificent sets for the Los Angeles Hollywood elite and posh New York night club jet-setters.
The first half hour or so is some vintage Woody Allen, especially a scene where Bobby hires a hooker – very funny. The latter half of the film gets a bit more sober, dealing with loves risked and lost, but those scenes succeed as well, even through the tonal shifts.
And, oh yeah, everything Steve Carell does here is entertaining.
Directed by: Woody Allen
Release Date: August 5, 2016
Run Time: 96 Minutes
Country: USA
Rated: PG-13
Distributor: Lionsgate
