Sunday, March 18, 2007
REEL LIFE
Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was Woody Allen's
with Mia Farrow and Jeff Daniels.
This ode to depression movies uses the movie within a movie idea in unique and clever way.
Daniels steps out of the screen to meet movie addict Farrow and court her.
Farrow who has an abusive husband at home is taken up with the romance and then, in turn, falls for the real star of the film who comes from Hollywood to help resolve the confusion created by his character's leaving the film being shown.
We see the movie cast dealing with his departure from their story twice. The confusion and comedy created makes for an enjoyable film.
All the stock character of those films are present; the playboys, the rich dowager (countess), the black maid. There is even the token fag.
It isn't very deep which is OK.
The black and white film pieces that we see are wonderfully recreated. They look very much like the real thing.
Have you noticed how often I am using the word 'real'.
Well, we are also watching an unrealistic film about reality that evolves from a story where the unreal becomes real.
Go see it and figure it out for yourself and savor the magic of Allen's exquisitely careful recreation of the places and times.
There are some sets and business (including the film within the film) that are real/reel gaspers.
At the end, Farrow gives us a resolution that is not a resolution. It is certainly not the one we want.
But she is brilliant as she .................well, see it for yourself.
A 4 out of Netflix5.
Labels: best films, Woody
