166143151
You’ve got to hand it to Woody Allen: He certainly isn’t afraid of his critics. Mere months after his estranged daughter hurled childhood sexual abuse allegations at him, the tireless filmmaker releases a movie about a May-December romance between a young medium, Sophie (Emma Stone), and an illusionist, Stanley (Colin Firth), who’s nearly three decades her senior. If nothing else, “Magic in the Moonlight” is a representation of a filmmaker immune to creative impingement, no matter how touchy the circumstances.
That said, Allen’s latest also sees his self-indulgence fly free to snooze-inducing effect, in a story that’s likely of minimal interest to anyone who isn’t him. Set in 1920s France (and thus unflatteringly juxtaposed against Allen’s modern triumph, “Midnight in Paris”), “Moonlight” centers on Stanley’s quest to expose Sophie as a fraud, after word of her “gifts” makes its way to England, where he performs.
Of course, Stanley, Allen’s umpteenth onscreen proxy, finds his skepticism transformed into obsession. And as his fondness for Sophie grows, his openness to the impossible starts quelling his deep-rooted cynicism, meaning Allen, perhaps, is ready to tweak his lifelong, forlorn obsession with mortality. That’s great for Allen; however, his presentation of it isn’t something fascinating to behold, like, say Terrence Malick’s hymn to the word itself, “The Tree of Life.”
Malick and Allen are like apples and oranges, but both ask viewers to join them as they grapple openly with life, death, and demons, and often, Allen’s invitations prove to be well worth it. Despite an absolutely superb supporting turn from Hamish Linklater, who steals the show as Sophie’s would-be suitor, Brice, “Moonlight” plays more like an endurance test of Allen-isms, to the point that one hopes the couple’s romance fails. Photographed by Darius Khondji, the film looks far better than fans would expect from Allen, who’s always put compositions and stylistics low on his priority list. But, just as Sophie proves to Stanley, looks can be very deceiving indeed.
Magic in the Moonlight
PG-13
Two reels out of four
Opens tomorrow at the Ritz Five
Recommended Rental
Divergent
PG-13
Available Tuesday
“The Fault in Our Stars” may have wound up Shailene Woodley’s biggest hit of the year, but “Divergent” might equal it for most talked-about, if only because it so closely mirrors the hugely successful “Hunger Games” series. Also set in a dystopian future, the adaptation of Veronica Roth’s bestseller focuses on a unique rebel (Woodley) who needs to decide if embracing her destiny is worth risking her life.
166143151
166143011
