Another nail in the coffin of Woody Allen's legacy

Rating: 5/10 (10 November 2011)

So, what's a once brilliant but now soggy and complacent director to do when the only people crazy enough to lend him money anymore are European financiers who insist on one dimensional, flattering, sycophantic depictions of their capital cities ? The answer to this question can be most clearly appreciated in the over-hyped, lazily scripted 'Midnight in Paris'. It is an indictment of the quality of Allen's output over the past 20 years that this film is garnering such positive reviews, but also speaks to the desire of many to see this former great of American filmmaking fire up his old magic. The central conceit of this movie is whimsical enough but quickly evaporates as it becomes apparent the excruciatingly contrived dialog and poorly written characters are only getting worse. Owen Wilson acquits himself well, but can't really rise above such weak material. It begs the question - why do A-list actors willfully submit themselves to appearing in Allen's increasingly lazy movies for far less money they could otherwise earn for their time ? There is no cachet in appearing in a Woody Allen film anymore. People should stop indulging him. Audiences would be best served re-visiting his work pre-1992.