Film No. 56 (2014) August 13th. 6:30 PM THE WINDSOR Nedlands.
In Magic in the Moonlight we get some of the same from Woody Allen; in fact the first 40 minutes is vintage Allen. His script is tight, clever and seemed to be heading towards the fulfilling conclusion he so often delivers. Unfortunately the magic fades as we are asked to believe in a non existent chemistry between the lead characters played by Colin Firth and Emma Stone.
Firth plays Stanley, better known on stage as Wei Ling Soo a legendary magician whose sideline is unmasking fake psychics making money from believers. His friend and colleague, Howard (Simon McBurney) talks him out of a well earned vacation and into debunking the psychic prowess of Sophie (Emma Stone). A clever scenario on the face of it with a sharp little twist to finish; there's just no magic on the flickering screen.
In years gone by Allen would write a script with only himself in mind for the lead role. Perhaps with the knowledge that he physically no longer fits the bill, his writing changes to fit the mold of other actors who line up for the privilege of working with Mr Allen. In this case Firth plays Stanley with a thread of arrogance which is not a trait a Woody Allen played character would have.
I'm loathed to suggest Woody is past it. His demise has been predicted so often and then gems like Midnight in Paris and Blue Jasmine appear. Match Point remains one of my favorites and it is not typically Allen. Magic in the Moonlight continues the Allen tradition of quirky characters and elegant costuming and introduces a new favourite in Emma Stone. It's an easy watch but a miss never the less. 6GUMS.
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