Is wincing a form of laughter?

Rating: 7/10 (10 July 2012)

There were elements of humor and delightful wit that were drowned out by periods of bathetic lapses; like being highly sensitive to fingernails on a chalkboard and knowing that that sound is coming again and again. I took special pleasure in the story line about the Everyman who became a media star until his flame burned out. Couldn't help but think about Silvio Berlusconi's contribution to the arts in Italy as I watched. Allen and Davis are a great sparring pair and have a chemistry that complements the other. Allen seemed to "read the lines" rather than act them, and Davis appeared to "live the lines" as if she had been married to him for decades. Recommendation: See the film and (hopefully) find the hidden gems that eluded me.