Review of The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) by David S — 27 Sep 2009

Very funny 'realist' comedy about a day-dreaming but well-meaning waitress who is suddenly wooed by her pin-up film star idol, who steps out of the screen to greet her. A terrific film about the difference between fantasy and reality, and how we respond to them both.

The ending in no way betrays the movie; why should Allen be criticised for creating an ending that reflects reality as it actually is, where people make mistakes and things don't end happily? Despite this bleakness, Allen has always believed that there are still things to celebrate in life, in this case the movies, an attitude that is perfectly presented here.