Woody's latest needs a better script

Rating: 6/10 (22 January 2006)

I was expecting a change of scenery (the film was originally meant to be shot in NYC, but got shot in London instead) to do well for Woody, but with its over-the-top and all too obvious attempts at showing a Crime & Punishment retake just left me wanting more. The London locales are used well, but I can't say the same for the actors. Scarlett Johansson does a fair job at portraying her character with what Allen gives her, but the main actor, Jonathan Rhys- Meyers, can hardly go beyond a handsome-yet-scary face. He delivers his lines as if he's in a high-school play, with highly synthetic and stereotypical acting. The script could also be trimmed to have more meat; it feels very dry and theatrical. I have a feeling that much of my acting complaints are due to the script. On the bright side though, the cinematography was excellent, with effective camera angles and shot compositions. Overall though, it's interesting to see what Allen has been up to lately, considering how different this film feels when compared with his other, more notable, films.