If you were to say that Woody Allen is in a rut, it would seem that the facts are on your side. For more than 30 years his films have explored not only the dynamics of romantic relationships but also our tendency towards self-destructive behavior and how ultimately we are nothing but fate’s playthings. However, I would counter that he’s merely exploring a subject that fascinates him, and applying his ever-changing perception on these themes.
Allen assembles yet another veteran cast for his latest, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, a strategy that helps keep his material fresh. Chief among the players is Anthony Hopkins as a divorced man who’s led to ruin by a young prostitute (Lucy Punch) he foolishly marries. The veteran actor poignantly reminds us there’s no fool like an old fool. Meanwhile, Josh Brolin is on hand as a desperate author suffering writer’s block who leaves his wife (Naomi Watts) for his muse (Freida Pinto) and pays the price, thanks to one of Allen’s cruelest ironic twists.
Yes, this ground has been plowed before by the writer/director but his trademark brand of wit and intelligence holds him in good stead and his storytelling prowess engages us from the start. What’s apparent is that Allen, who’s remarkably made at least one film in each of the last 28 years, remains as sharp, perceptive and cynical as ever and that he continues to wrestle with finding a sense of peace, if not in his life, then in his art. In his films, love is capricious, happiness is temporary and contentment is unattainable. Perhaps he continues to examine these themes, not so much to find answers, but because he finds comfort in their constancy.Â
This article appears in Oct 28 – Nov 3, 2010.
