Film No. 61 (2016) Cafe Society October 8th.

Film No. 61 (2016) October 8th.  11.00 PM LUNA Leederville.

"Life is a comedy written by a sadistic comedy writer" (The best line in Cafe Society recited by Bobby (Jesse Eisenberg) during yet another verbal stream of consciousness.

In a major first for Woody Allen he used digital technology to film this, his 47th film, but there is very little else that is un-Allen like in Cafe Society. This is not a negative observation, it's simply an observation. The lead, Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg), plays a quintessential New York Jewish boy grappling with his runaway thoughts and social insecurities. You know, the same character type Woody would have played in his younger days.


Dorfman is young and frustrated with his Bronx life, he needs to spark up, grow-up and leave New York for the wild west. His mum Rose brilliantly played by Jeanie Berlin rings her brother Phil Stern (Steve Carell), an agent to the stars. He'll see Bobby, even offers him an insignificant job for a time; enough time for him to be smitten by Stern's secretary Vonnie (Kristen Stewart). He's smitten but there are complications because she's taken.


The spaces are filled by guest narrator, Woody, himself. He keeps time, characters and distance all in check in the most simplistic terms. See, it's a typical Woody scenario. The highlight  is the sharp dialogue which only lets up when Allen narrates. Laugh out loud scenes come from Bobby's family banter punctuated by Berlin and Ken Stott, an interesting choice as, dad, Marty Doorman along with Bobby's thug of a brother, Ben. There is also an early scene; Bobby negotiates and pontificates with a rookie prostitute Candy (Anna Camp) which is fun.


So why is Cafe Society only a luke warm contribution to The Allen catalogue? I'm not sure really. The cast is brilliant but for me I'm not convinced by the Bobby and Vonnie chemistry. Individually both filled the screen brilliantly but as a couple I wasn't invested. Their contrasting love for one another is essential to 80 minutes of the film. Then there is Carell; he had the look but I'm not sure he was the right man for the job. Anyway, I've said it before, I'm a Woody Allen fan, thus comparisons are inevitable. Cafe Society is not in his best 20 films for me but entertaining never the less.  8GUMS.