Review of To Rome with Love (2012) by Emile P — 15 Dec 2012

This had a potential to be huge romantic comedy of one of the greatest comedy directors with some of my favourite actors in it - and if you ask me how did Woody Allen managed everything to feel washed out, I am not sure what to say. The story is told in four separate vignettes: a clerk who wakes up to find himself a celebrity, an architect who takes a trip back to the street he lived on as a student, a young couple on their honeymoon, and a funeral director who has a talent for singing in the shower - typically European feel - especially if you know that the idea to produce To Rome with Love came from an offer from distributors from Rome! They offered to finance a film for Allen, as long as it was filmed in Rome, which he accepted due to his desire to both work in Rome and "opportunity to get the money to work quickly and from a single source". I think that with getting money quickly he looked to an opportunity to spend them quickly, too!

There was no need to rush, though, because the four vignettes featured in the film were based on ideas and notes Allen had written throughout the year before he finalized them in a screenplay. But he did... It was interesting seeing how people deal differently with the theme of "fame and accomplishment", although Allen stated that he didn't intend for them to have any thematic connection. The initial name of the movie was Bop Decameron, a reference to the 14th century book by Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio, but several people, including Italians, didn't understand the reference, so he retitled it Nero Fiddles. There was a problem of understanding that as well and final title was To Rome with Love - one which Woody Allen hated!

If you are Woody Allen fan you will find many things to like, at least I did, but it felt like sex in 50 year marriage - no particular excitement or surprise, just the sort of pleasure on demand. It had excellent photography but I already stated the way it was rushed, from acting to directing... on the other hand if you accept is as something which happens in Italy only and it is funny with its typically Woody Allen flair, you can finish with a positive review, like I did!