Cafe Society - Review
Director: Woody Allen.
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell, Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Corey Stoll.
During the latter period of Woody Allen's career, it's fair to assess that the quality of his work has received its share of criticism as well as praise. However, no one can refute his work ethic as Allen continues his pattern of annual film releases, gracing 2016 with his 47th (!) picture Cafe Society. Is Cafe Society one of his more warmly received outings in recent years, or will it become a forgettable entry in his expansive filmography? Well, the verdict lies somewhere in between.
In the 1930's, Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg) departs his family home in New York where he's reluctant to join his gangster brother (Corey Stoll) in his nightclub ventures and heads to Hollywood. After securing a job with his Uncle Phil (Steve Carell), Bobby falls for his Uncle's assistant Vonnie (Kristen Stewart) - but she's seeing someone else.
Cafe Society demonstrates some classic Woody Allen lines, that are inherently pessimistic but comically accurate, such as, "Live everyday like it's your last, and someday you'll be right", and whilst mixing at a Hollywood event, a recent Academy Award winner introduces himself to Bobby, "You've never heard of me. I'm a writer." As an aspiring writer myself, I laughed. But it stung a little. Although, that's where Woody Allen's true power and genius lies; for the two hours in which we're engaged in his world, he draws us into his web of defeatism but keeps us smiling throughout as we ponder the characters' likely neutral fate, as well as our own.
Allen also exceeds in writing male protagonists that mirror his own ideals and inhabit his personal quirks and neurotics, and Jesse Eisenberg does a pretty good imitation in his performance as Bobby Dorfman. Never more so does Eisenberg exude and ooze the fellow than in the scene where Bobby hires a call girl. What follows is a debacle of dialogue drenched proportions. Bobby has never paid for sex before. Candy (the call girl) is inexperienced, with Bobby being her first client. Neither are comfortable or savvy enough to operate in such circles, and the ensuing interaction is heartily amusing. However, after 47 films, it seems Allen isn't ready to retire the frequent relationship trope of pairing an older man with a significantly younger woman that persists throughout his work. That's often where the filmmaker's less acclaimed flicks don't quite succeed - it generates the feeling of deja vu and, dare I say, apathy on Allen's part.
It's a shame that the writer/director doesn't take many risks, because when he does, the results are astounding. Cafe Society is Allen's first film to be shot digitally, and the cinematography perfectly captures the cultural differences between the gloss and synthetic nature of L.A and the underground, domestic lifestyle Bobby and his family lead in New York. Woody Allen also makes an unconventional decision in his choice of leading lady, but Stewart as Vonnie positively delights. She radiates a casual warmness that understandably attracts a number of potential suitors, and with an affected cadence and welcoming smile, it's refreshing to see Stewart portray a character who exudes such a lightness. Her character also seems to be the antithesis of the superficial L.A lifestyle and rejects any form of excess that she is often surrounded by, before eventually becoming the very thing she swore never to embrace - a juxtaposition that feels believable and inevitable with the life she chooses for herself.
With solid performances and free flowing dialogue that only occasionally flounders, Cafe Society is an improvement upon Allen's recent misfires (Magic in the Moonlight) but sadly never reaches the heights of Midnight in Paris or Blue Jasmine.
EB
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell, Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Corey Stoll.
During the latter period of Woody Allen's career, it's fair to assess that the quality of his work has received its share of criticism as well as praise. However, no one can refute his work ethic as Allen continues his pattern of annual film releases, gracing 2016 with his 47th (!) picture Cafe Society. Is Cafe Society one of his more warmly received outings in recent years, or will it become a forgettable entry in his expansive filmography? Well, the verdict lies somewhere in between.In the 1930's, Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg) departs his family home in New York where he's reluctant to join his gangster brother (Corey Stoll) in his nightclub ventures and heads to Hollywood. After securing a job with his Uncle Phil (Steve Carell), Bobby falls for his Uncle's assistant Vonnie (Kristen Stewart) - but she's seeing someone else.
Cafe Society demonstrates some classic Woody Allen lines, that are inherently pessimistic but comically accurate, such as, "Live everyday like it's your last, and someday you'll be right", and whilst mixing at a Hollywood event, a recent Academy Award winner introduces himself to Bobby, "You've never heard of me. I'm a writer." As an aspiring writer myself, I laughed. But it stung a little. Although, that's where Woody Allen's true power and genius lies; for the two hours in which we're engaged in his world, he draws us into his web of defeatism but keeps us smiling throughout as we ponder the characters' likely neutral fate, as well as our own.
Allen also exceeds in writing male protagonists that mirror his own ideals and inhabit his personal quirks and neurotics, and Jesse Eisenberg does a pretty good imitation in his performance as Bobby Dorfman. Never more so does Eisenberg exude and ooze the fellow than in the scene where Bobby hires a call girl. What follows is a debacle of dialogue drenched proportions. Bobby has never paid for sex before. Candy (the call girl) is inexperienced, with Bobby being her first client. Neither are comfortable or savvy enough to operate in such circles, and the ensuing interaction is heartily amusing. However, after 47 films, it seems Allen isn't ready to retire the frequent relationship trope of pairing an older man with a significantly younger woman that persists throughout his work. That's often where the filmmaker's less acclaimed flicks don't quite succeed - it generates the feeling of deja vu and, dare I say, apathy on Allen's part.
It's a shame that the writer/director doesn't take many risks, because when he does, the results are astounding. Cafe Society is Allen's first film to be shot digitally, and the cinematography perfectly captures the cultural differences between the gloss and synthetic nature of L.A and the underground, domestic lifestyle Bobby and his family lead in New York. Woody Allen also makes an unconventional decision in his choice of leading lady, but Stewart as Vonnie positively delights. She radiates a casual warmness that understandably attracts a number of potential suitors, and with an affected cadence and welcoming smile, it's refreshing to see Stewart portray a character who exudes such a lightness. Her character also seems to be the antithesis of the superficial L.A lifestyle and rejects any form of excess that she is often surrounded by, before eventually becoming the very thing she swore never to embrace - a juxtaposition that feels believable and inevitable with the life she chooses for herself.
With solid performances and free flowing dialogue that only occasionally flounders, Cafe Society is an improvement upon Allen's recent misfires (Magic in the Moonlight) but sadly never reaches the heights of Midnight in Paris or Blue Jasmine.
EB
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