Not Ripley. Not Gosford. Not very good.

Rating: 6/10 (9 January 2006)

Woody Allen may understand the accents and cadences of life in Manhattan but he sure as hell doesn't understand London. This film needs a good script editor, preferably someone who understands how the moneyed English classes act, think and speak. The overall effect is lumbering and at times, laughable.
I've never been convinced by Jonathan R-M and here he is not quite right as a Ripley-lite character except in his relationship with the wonderful Scarlett J who is by far the best thing in the film.
The overall look is like a 60s film, full of London buses, minis and Kings Road chic. Here we get the minis on every street (heavy product placement). All that was missing was a friendly uniformed policeman, a London cabbie and a Pearly King and Queen.
This doesn't quite hit the depths of Sliding Doors (Jeopardy!) but it makes Austin Powers's view of London look very sophisticated and three dimensional.