A Surprisingly Pleasant Experience

Rating: Null/10 (6 September 2011)

I always want to like Woody Allen's films. Unfortunately, a lot of time, I'm disappointed. If I trace back the roots of this disappointment, I find that it is tied to the vague endings that seem to recall the attempts at being 'artistic' that characterized films of the 1970s. Woody Allen became enamored with this approach in his 1979 film, Manhattan. Okay, I admit, life sometimes gives us vague endings, but if you're going to tell a story, then give us the ending to it. It's like having a joke without a punchline, and remember, Woody Allen got his start as a stand-up comedian. Say what you will about Woody Allen, but he is a good story teller.
And this is a good story. Yes, of course, you can delve into the problems of time travel, but that's not the point. Why waste your time? True, the characters may have been caricatures, but that's half the fun of it. Because when Woody Allen is at his best, his movies combine humor and truth. The relationships may seem exaggerated at times, but I challenge anyone to find that they don't contain an uncomfortable grain of this truth.
Owen Wilson does a credible job and I suspect he could handle more challenging roles than he is usually given. In fact, I had no problem finding any of the characters believable. All in all, it was a very satisfying film to watch.