Review of Cassandra's Dream (2007) by Dave W — 17 Jan 2009

I am a big Woody Allen fan and up to this movie have really liked everything he has done. But Cassandra's Dream does not feel at all like a Woody Allen feature. It lacks the quirky dialogue, most of the characters are painfully under-written and unbelievable, plus it just seems totally under-rehearsed and rushed. Had Woody's name not been on the film already, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a film made by a novice writer/director who was lacking experience and, for the most part, talent.

Some of the dialogue delivery is so hammy that it is almost cringe-worthy. Yet it appears all the more painful because Ewan and Colin are, as we all know, fantastic acting talents. The fact that they were also made to go through with such a stupid, flimsy and pathetic ending is the crowning disappointment in a feature that lacks almost any credibility.

As a life-long Woody fan, I am ashamed to say this is the first of his films that I wouldn't even have on my shelf even if it was given for free. I simply would not watch it again. At best it feels like a bad made-for-tv film. As a Woody Allen film with this kind of talent, it's really a travesty.