A commentary on celebrity

Rating: 7/10 (9 March 2013)

Anyone who takes this picture at face value lacks insight. Yes, it is a series of vignettes, some romantic, that are placed in Rome. But no, it's not a typical Woody romantic comedy. It's a commentary on celebrity and a fairly biting one. From the short, fat, balding "sexy" movie "star" to the "celebrity of the day" Woody demolishes the star making machinery in which he has existed for the last fifty years or so. The shallowness of movie starlet love, the need for a fading producer to have one more big hit, the vacuousness of celebrity and its fleeting nature. Those are the themes of this picture. And if these are accepted at face value, then the picture is terrific. Any dullard who judges it against "Midnight in Paris" back to "Annie Hall" is bound to be disappointed. But that should be held to their account for not being very bright. An excellent commentary on post-modernism and the current value of impression when measured against real value. Including Adam Baldwin as an imaginary figure in the picture is an excellent choice, because he and his entire family are mostly famous for being famous, not for having talent.