Please retire, Woody

Rating: 1/10 (10 June 2011)

Woody's personality, and his films, have a powerful ability to irritate. This one, although casting as bland a set of actors as one can assemble, strikes out into territory where Allen simply hasn't a clue, leading to yet another example of Allen's misguided belief that one can "figure out" love. Allen's view of love is so ridiculously inane that it can only lead to what we have here - an inanely stupid romantic comedy. The jokes are second grade material, as usual, and the supposedly non-comedic part is just plain gooey trash, which tries unsuccessfully to avoid the goo by promoting his brainless "lesson" about life. Allen doesn't live life - he spends all his time trying to understand what it is. Ditto for love. So far, few have ever been so unsuccessful at doing so. I expect another dozen films from this serial filmmaker before he finally either goes totally senile, or passes away. Either would be welcomed news for theatergoers.