Disappointing (...but looks pretty!)

Rating: 7/10 (25 January 2006)

The whole movie looked like a fashion magazine ad...the clothes, then the apartments and country homes and restaurants, making love in the rain in the countryside...taking trips to Ralph Lauren. I really saw this movie as a let down, however, because it's almost like nothing really happens. There are no real surprises. You know what's going to happen next. When you think they could've done something clever, they don't. We've seen this story a million times (wasn't this basically Allen's "Crimes & Misdemeanors," just set in England instead?) Nola seemed fascinating in the beginning, a juicy part for Scarlett J. You think she is one step ahead of everyone (so confident, but why can't she get the acting part?) It turns out she's just another pretty white chick. She smoldered w/sexuality at the beginning, and then it's just gone.
I'm sorry, Woody Allen, but did you have to make the movie so arty? How about a twist or turn...something unexpected? What are Chris's true motives/intentions...why would he try to protect a family he is so utterly bored with? And why does he get so bored of Nola?