Rated PG-13
100 minutes
Directed by Woody Allen
Over the summer, I've been BOMBARDED with the trailer with this film. It was in front of X-Men, Edge of Tomorrow, Chef, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. I was already going to see it, with it being a Woody Allen film and all, but that trailer was maybe harmful to the film. Most trailers for me manage to show enough intriguing stuff without blowing the entire wad. Unfortunately, Sony Classics was too confident, and maybe made a trailer better than the actual movie.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mean the last sentence as an outright burn. I really liked that trailer, and maybe if Woody spent more time on the script, it could've sustained the occasional bursts of great material it had. Some anchors were provided, as both Colin Firth and Emma Stone were quite good, Firth as the sarcastic and almost unlikable male lead, and Stone as the bubbly and rather pretty Kalamazooian. The costumes are lavish and extravagant while also being understated and dapper. You can always do a lot when setting a film in France, and Allen manages to do a lot, highlighting the beautiful setting of France with seas and lavish houses. Also, when there is humor, it can be done kind of well, with the cloud joke in the trailer probably being the highlight.
The things I mentioned before were just bursts, though. The film is bogged down by being too predictable. One of the things I loved about Annie Hall and Blue Jasmine alike was that they were unpredictable, like their main characters. This movie doesn't feel fresh or innovative, but rather a retread of everything that's come before. They use the same piece of music over and over again throughout the movie. The first time it brought a great feel and added atmosphere to the film. The tenth time made me want to cut my ears off and destroy the piece of music from the world. The twist isn't shocking to me, as I solved it when Firth and Stone's characters go on a trip to see Firth's aunt. There's a certain drama point later in the film that is drummed up only for extra padding, making the movie feel even longer than it felt before. Also, Hamish Linklater works well for me in small but effective doses. He doesn't work well for me when he serenades Stone with the ukelele twice in half an hour.
Magic in the Moonlight gets the basics right, but when further analyzed, it fails to provide enough magic to make you wish for the moonlight to last forever. Mediocre.
2.5/5
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