Wonder Wheel

This film is terrible. Unbelievable dialogue, flat characters, hokey plot. I felt very sorry for the actors -- even Justin Timberlake, who had the worst assignment (breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to the camera). They tried so hard (maybe sometimes too hard, to overcome the awful script) but it was in vain. Woody Allen should retire quietly from public and professional life, if this is the best he can do these days. The look was nice, I have to say. and some of the old tunes on the soundtrack were great. But the many repetitions of one particular song were just too much. I hope I never hear it again.

Winslet is Ginny a flawed woman who keeps sabotaging her life. Her story unfolds in the 50's, but not in the cozy and warm environment of Radio Days. This is a tragedy of almost epic proportions, as hinted by mentions of O'Neil and Shakespeare. The tragedy of a woman, pushed by the circumstances to act in a despicable way. Surely we always have a choice to behave fairly, but given our flaws, would we really take it? Ginny feels trapped: she is married with drunkard Humpty, has a sh***y job and a pyromanica son from the previous, failed marriage. The only ray of sunshine is her affair with the younger Mickey. She dreams of moving in with Mickey, although it is not clear what would happen to her job and her son - but we gather that at least dumping the husband for more pleasant company would be welcomed. Enters Carolina, Humpty's daughter, and all of Ginny's dreams are shattered. Carolina was married to a gangster and is now a marked woman seeking an hiding place. Inevitably, Caro falls for Mickey setting Ginny's jealousy in motion. The story does not work well from the gangster's angle. Real gangsters would have checked Humpty's house more carefully and, once discovered the lies, would have eliminated the whole family. But the focus here is Ginny's story and Winslet delivers. Excellent photography and soundtrack, too.

Greetings again from the darkness. It's worth saying again – Woody Allen (age 82), regardless of what you think of him personally, is remarkable in his ability to create, write and direct a new movie each and every year. That being said, after watching his latest, it should be noted that he is the one filmmaker who really shouldn't ever write a story with a step-daughter as a character … especially if romance is involved. Sometimes we just can't separate the art from the artist, no matter how hard we try. The setting is Coney Island in the 1950's, and our narrator is a lifeguard recounting the 'one summer' story of a carousel operator, his beaten-down (and beaten-up) wife, and a surprise visit from the husband's adult daughter. The lifeguard is Mickey, a dreamer and would-be writer played by Justin Timberlake. The carousel operator is known as Humpty and is an alcoholic lout played by Jim Belushi, while his wife Ginny, disillusioned that life has crushed her dreams, is played by Kate Winslet. Humpty's daughter Carolina is on the run from her mobster husband, and seems to cause trouble without really trying. She is played by Juno Temple. Ginny's young son Richie (Jack Gore) also lives with them. He is a pyromaniac and movie fanatic – two pastimes effective at avoiding school. Director Allen utilizes a beautiful color palette combined with nostalgic sounds and music to create a look that he then blends with a story and performances that seem to intentionally knock-off Tennessee Williams. Belushi, Timblerake and Winslet in particular come across as overly-theatrical in their approach to heavy dialogue – these characters are defined by what they say, not what they do. Ginny plots to keep Humpty off the booze, so he doesn't hit her; all the while, she is sneaking off to enjoy the talents of a young lifeguard who lacks the fortitude to prevent her from falling too hard. Humpty is thrilled for a do-over with Carolina and reverts to treating her as his little girl … despite the mob contract lingering over her head. It's impossible to miss the similarities between the redheaded Richie and young Alvy from Mr. Allen's classic ANNIE HALL (who described living under the Cyclone). As Ginny half-efforts parenting her troubled young son, she also juggles the guilt she carries from cheating on her first husband. Simultaneously, Mickey the lifeguard starts falling for Carolina, as the mobsters close in. Periodically Woody flashes his writing brilliance, as in this exchange between Carolina and Mickey: She says, "You've been around the world", and he responds, "Yeah, but you've been around the block." So despite the look and feel of nostalgia, the themes are timeless … cheating and abusive spouse, disillusioned adults, and youngsters dreaming of a better future. The too-often blustery dialogue syncs with the too-often over- acting, yet cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (winner of 3 Oscars – APOCALYPSE NOW, REDS, THE LAST EMPEROR) keeps things visually appealing throughout. The only "quiet" moments occur as Richie is lighting yet another fire. Recurring issues of migraines, booze, stress, moodiness, and rain are prevalent, and perhaps the saving grace is that we are left singing Jo Stafford's "You Belong to Me".