Magic in the Moonlight

Plot synopsis:
Berlin, Germany. 1928Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth) is a British illusionist/magical debunker performing a show under the guise of Wei Ling Soo, a Chinese magician. He does such tricks as making an elephant disappear, sawing a woman in half, and entering a sarcophagus and re-emerging in a chair, to the delight of audiences. Backstage, Stanley is rude and snobbish towards his assistants and a fan seeking an autograph. He is approached by his old friend and fellow illusionist Howard Burkan (Simon McBurney). Over a drink, Howard asks Stanley to travel with him to the French Riviera to see a wealthy family that have been enchanted by a young woman claiming to be a medium. Stanley's task is to reveal her as a fraud. He informs his fiance Olivia (Catherine McCormack) of his trip, as she is also a skeptic.The two friends drive to Côte d'Azur to meet the Catledge family. Stanley first meets Caroline Catledge (Erica Leershen) and her husband George (Jeremy Shamos), who both show concern over Caroline's brother Brice (Hamish Linklater), who is smitten with this so-called medium. He is heard practicing serenading her. Stanley and Howard meet Brice, who expresses his awe of this woman, as she has apparently seen things about himself that she couldn't have known, giving him a more introspective look on himself. This woman, Sophie Baker (Emma Stone), arrives with her mother (Marcia Gay Harden). Upon meeting Stanley, she gets a "mental vibration" of him being from the Orient, specifically China, and also deduces that he's done business in Germany. Not quite impressed, Stanley admits that he was recently in Berlin on business. Throughout the rest of the afternoon, Stanley displays his sarcasm and skepticism to Sophie and her mother. Mrs. Baker thinks he's obnoxious, and while Sophie agrees, she adds that he's not entirely unappealing.Brice strums his ukulele and sings to Sophie. He tells her he is very much in love with her and wants to marry her. She neither expresses interest nor disdain for him.That night, the Catledges gather for a seance in which Sophie attempts to communicate with the deceased husband of Brice and Caroline's mother, Grace (Jacki Weaver). Grace is eager to see if she can really speak to her husband. The family connects hands with each other and Sophie as she attempts to make contact. She beckons the spirit to knock once for "yes" and twice for "no". A knock is heard, and Stanley keeps his eyes peeled for anything. Suddenly, a candle begins floating in the air. Everyone, even Stanley, is baffled. Howard reaches to grab it, but sees no evidence of a wire or anything.Stanley still doesn't believe Sophie has any gift, but she is able to shake him a bit when he mentions his uncle and she gets another mental vibration of a "death by water". Stanley admits to Howard that his uncle drowned a few years back. Later, Sophie mentions seeing Wei Ling Soo as a child and enjoying the performance. She knows Stanley is the magician and tells him not to doubt what she can do. It's obvious Sophie has a hold on him as Stanley can barely sleep at night.The family holds another seance where Grace asks her deceased husband if she was always his only woman. One knock for yes. She then hesitantly asks if he ever had an affair with a specific woman she names. Two knocks for no. Grace is overjoyed.Sophie goes for a swim in the Catledges' pool. Brice continues to serenade her and then has the butler bring in a bunch of dresses that Sophie had been checking out in town.Stanley invites Sophie with him to go out on the town. She enjoys eating a lot, to Stanley's surprise. She even mentions information about Olivia and an older flame of Stanley's, Jenny.Stanley takes Sophie to the home of his Aunt Vanessa (Eileen Atkins), something of a mother to Stanley. Sophie asks Vanessa to hand her some type of jewelry, and she gives Sophie her pearl necklace. From holding it, Sophie determines a love affair of Vanessa's, as the necklace was given to her by a man that could not be with her because he was still married. This cracks Stanley, causing him to believe in Sophie's gifts and acknowledge her as the real deal.On their trip home, his car breaks down. He spends hours taking the engine apart and putting it back, but to no avail. A thunderstorm starts happening, scaring Sophie and making her think they'll die. She and Stanley run for shelter and find a nearby observatory. Stanley recognizes it from his youth. They go inside where he keeps Sophie close so she stays warm. He then takes her near the telescope and opens the roof, where they see the moon and stars up above.Everyone attends a fancy and lavish party. Stanley is dancing with Vanessa while Sophie cuts a rug with Brice. They switch partners, giving Stanley and Sophie a chance to walk together. She asks him if he has thought anything of her lately as a woman. He awkwardly responds that he hasn't seen her in that way, specifically as a woman, but he has become pleasantly surprised by what he's seen from her, regarding her gifts. Sophie leaves disappointed.Stanley, Sophie, and her mother gather with reporters for a press conference. Everyone asks Stanley about his new feelings regarding this type of magic or how he feels now as a skeptic. Moments later, George comes in to tell Stanley that his aunt has been in a car accident. He immediately steps out.At the hospital, Stanley is told that Vanessa is being treated by doctors. He sits down and starts to pray. For a moment, it appears that he really believes what he's saying, until he comes to a realization. He quickly dismisses all his beliefs and goes back to thinking Sophie is a fraud.Stanley returns to the Catledge home to confront Sophie. He asks her how she did not predict the car accident and warn him about it. He leaves the room with Sophie and Howard alone. It is then that we learn that the two of them conspired to trick Stanley. Howard knew Sophie was a fraud, but he wanted to really get Stanley after years of being second best to his more successful friend. Stanley then turns around in his chair to show that he has been listening the whole time. Sophie is ashamed and wants Stanley to forgive her, especially since she knows that his time spent with her has let him believe in new possibilities and have a new lease on life. Despite this, Stanley refuses to forgive her.Vanessa makes a full recovery, and Stanley picks her up and takes her home. When they get back, Stanley slowly begins to express his true feelings toward Sophie. He realizes he doesn't love Olivia as much as he thought, and he has fallen in love with Sophie.Stanley finds Sophie sitting on a swing. By now, she has already accepted Brice's marriage proposal. Stanley makes an uneasy proposal, saying she should marry him instead. Sophie says he already had his chance, and it's gone. She walks away while he tries to take the offer off the table.Stanley forgives Howard for trying to trick him. He also mentions that he broke it off with Olivia, who happened to be calm about it, as they both realized they weren't right for each other.Stanley returns to Vanessa's home one more time after being rejected. He sits in the living room talking aloud and expressing his regret over not expressing his love for Sophie earlier. He then hears a knock. He knows Sophie is near. He then asks if she'll marry him. Another knock for yes. Stanley turns around to see Sophie standing in the doorway. He goes up to her and they kiss.

Tags: romantic, cute, philosophical, plot twist

Review:
A Widely and Profoundly Misunderstood Gem. Most viewers are taking this film as a conventional (and admittedly entirely predictable) romantic comedy which happens to be about a magician who debunks fake spirit mediums, and a beautiful young woman whom he believes is just that.
You need to be interested in the tension between the materialist worldview and the conventional one that accommodates the spiritual and the mysterious, but if you are, you will be astonished at how delightful and entertaining an exploration of those deep themes can be.The age discrepancy between Frith's and Stone's characters, which I am sure will bother many, is in fact completely necessary: he must be old enough to be set in his pessimistic ways, and she must be young and beautiful enough to challenge them at first sight.Obviously there are happy atheists and there are miserable spiritual people, so the question that Allen is asking here is whether some unhappy atheists have embraced the soul- and God-denying position too vigorously, as a sort of defense mechanism to shield themselves from the fundamentally irrational possibility of falling in love.
That is what happens to another at heart typical Woody Allen character Stanley, this time played by Colin Firth and he brings his English cynicism into the role.
The basic story line/plot was the solid foundation for a very entertaining combination of very well-written dialog, a well-defined believable group of characters, fabulous interior and exterior period (1928) scenery, exquisite period costuming and music, and a terrific cast that brought it all to life.Of particular note was the role of the aunt, so charmingly underplayed by a truly delightful veteran English actress.
In Magic in the Moonlight it is brilliantly acted out by the beautiful Emma Stone and stubborn and cynical Colin Firth.
The movie opens with successful and famous magician Stanley (Colin Firth) being invited by his childhood friend Howard (Simon McBurney) to debunk the swindle of renowned spiritualist Sophie Baker (Emma Stone) from the US staying in a client's villa in the French Rivera.
Woody Allen's latest film Magic in the Moonlight, is a light and fluffy piece of movie confection set on the photogenic Cote d'Azur that delights the eye but hardly taxes the brain.Set in the 1920's, Colin Firth plays Charlie Crawford, better known by his stage-name Wei Ling Soo: a magician who staggers his audience nightly by making elephants disappear and by teleporting across the stage.As a quick aside, Firth's characters is almost certainly based on the American Chinese-styled magician Chung Ling Soo who amazed Victorian audiences with his magic and inscrutable attitude but died (messily) on stage at the Wood Green Empire in London when a bullet catching trick went wrong.
The particularly obnoxious Charlie of the first half of the film is about 20% over-cooked for me, and a long way from his Oscar-winning performance in "The King's Speech", although the performance improves towards the end as his character thaws a bit into more 'Firth-friendly' territory.Emma Stone is, as always, delightful.
I'm not sure why this was done this way, but it just came across as amateurish and irritating.The soundtrack is taken from jaunty jazz staples of the era which work well for most of the time but are at times jarring and ill-suited.In summary, not a classic Woody Allen but a very pleasant and lightly humorous film that older audiences in particular will enjoy.
It should have been a good movie, but it was ruined, and Allen seemed to not notice.I wonder if Woody is happy with the finished product, or if he realized halfway through that he'd made a mistake, and just finished the film as best he could.
Woody Allen's 45th film in as many years, the wondrously poetic yet intellectually dazzling "Magic in the Moonlight", proves once again that he is the greatest living American director.
A charming romantic comedy that is delightful to spend an afternoon on but ultimately lacks the impact to make it an instant Woody Allen classic.Full Review:Magic in the Moonlight has been largely unnoticed by majority of the general movie-going audience.
Even the die-hard Woody Allen fans will admit that this movie is quite light on the director's style.So when it comes down to it would I recommend it to watch it in the cinemas?
And I think what we got on our hands is a dead shark." - Alvy SingerA gorgeous, sumptuous movie: wonderful cinematography, great, Jazz Age music (as well as Beethoven), the Cote d'Azur, Eileen Atkins, Colin Firth in full Mr. Darcy mode, Emma Stone what could possibly be amiss?
Emma Stone shines with her charming eyes and smiles while Colin Firth reminds us of a young and babbling Woody Allen.
Emma Stone shines with her charming eyes and smiles while Colin Firth reminds us of a young and babbling Woody Allen.
Woody Allen, Colin Firth, Emma Stone and such a lousy movie?!
But what is the truth?"Magic in the Moonlight" is a delightful and simple romantic comedy by Woody Allen.
The former is much better but knowing that Woody Allen isn't going to include unconnected ideas, the film can be quite good for his die hard fans.The comedy is very much on the light and minimal end, but that just allows for a more interesting element of magic in the air and even an element of simple human relationships drama.
He opens the film as a rude and arrogant magician – never being his true self.Stanley (Firth) is told about a young woman in France who is a successful spiritualist and becoming quite a celebrity in connecting wealthy people with their loved ones who have passed on to another world.
There is a twist but you may guess it from the beginning of the film.The movie has a nice, pleasant cinematography and a good soundtrack to go with it.The script is very good with a clear theatrical tone (this movie could well be a play) and the performances of some veteran actors are beyond criticism.Colin Firth is the one who holds the movie on his shoulders though.
It's not for an Oscar nomination but I could not think of another leading man to deliver a certain degree of cynicism and arrogance but still be likable and maybe even gallant.Emma Stone is OK but another leading lady could be more suitable.I'm not a big Woody Allen fan but this is more enjoyable than, let's say, Midnight in Paris.
Emma Stone is charming as always.From afar, it might seem like a simple comedy, but if you take a closer look, the themes it explores are actually quite deep and intriguing; those things govern the life and mindset of most people around the world.Beginning to end, I wasn't bored for a second.
I think Allen's take on these issues is evolving in a most interesting way.One complaint about this film is that Colin Firth and Emma Stone are mismatched for a romantic comedy.
Of his recent films, it is not as good as Midnight in Paris or Blue Jasmine but ranking it in his filmography it's around high middle; much better than What's Up Tiger Lily, Celebrity, To Rome with Love, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Anything Else, Cassandra's Dream and Small Time Crooks but you shouldn't expect another Annie Hall, Crimes and Misdemeanours, Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Husbands and Wives, Love and Death, The Manhattan Murder Mystery, Another Woman, Bullets Over Broadway, Deconstructing Harry or Broadway Danny Rose.Magic in the Moonlight to me wasn't without flaws.
The characters are interesting at least and mostly compelling in their realism, though you do question Stanley's decision making at times, they're not likable as such but when you look at other films from Woody Allen it's hardly unusual.
The film is smartly directed by Allen and the acting is good, Colin Firth acts with cool authority and Emma Stone is just delightfully charming as the film's most likable(quite easily) character.
He meets a beautiful woman from USA who knows just about everything through vibrations, and his radical belief is questioned."Magic in the Moonlight" stays true to Woody Allen's style as it has a central character who is darkly humorous.
A lovely little Woody Allen film starring Colin Firth.
There is not the usual neurotic character like in most Allen movies but Firth does have a bit of snark which he plays off perfectly.
Although on the thin side, this romantic comedy set in 1928 turns out to be one of writer-director Woody Allen's better latter-day films.
Of course, Wei Ling Soo is only a stage name, in real life, his name is Stanley, and he's no more Chinese than Woodyy Allen is Swedish, which establishes very well his status as the Master of Illusions, much more one who's capable to spot any trick and any quack.When a friend and fellow member named Howard Burkan, played by Simon McBurney asks him to postpone his travel to the Galapagos Islands because he just found that special someone, a girl with amazing psychic skills, able to guess anything and communicate with the dead, Stanley's curiosity is tickled so he says goodbye to his beautiful fiancée and travels to the South of France to meet this little wonder, and it's an opportunity to visit his dear Aunt Vanessa (Eileen Atkins).
Starring Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Eileen Atkins, and Hamish Linklater, Allen takes us to 1928 Paris.
It must be a thing with magicians because Houdini did it as well.But just as Stanley dazzles us with his magic, Sophie dazzles Stanley with her beauty and ability.He suddenly starts to ask himself if the world as he sees it - leading nowhere and meaning nothing -- is truly all there is.The real magician here is Allen, who keeps us guessing in this delightful, lyrical film, and yet asks us - can we really know if what we believe is real?
Eileen Atkins, as Stanley's wise aunt, gives an excellent performance, showing us a woman who loves her nephew but has never quite understood where some of his pessimistic ideas come from.The rest of the cast is very good and rounds out the film - Simon McBurney as Howard, Marcia Gay Harden as Sophie's mother -- her role is surprisingly small.
Beautifully photographed and costumed, "Magic in the Moonlight" is just that, and asks questions that -- despite what Woody Allen and Stanley may think -- have no definite answers: Is there a metaphysical world?
I would not have thought that anyone really needs more proof that Allen has completely lost his touch, but here he goes and proves it again.I guess it's reached the point where actors and crew now feel so sorry for octogenarian Allen that they dare not tell him that his plots and dialogue are on the nose entirely.In this case the actors did the best they could with the thin pickings doled out to them in the lame script, full of expository dialogue and lacking in any subtext whatsoever.That said, Colin Firth appeared to be channeling Basil Fawlty most of the time.One can only hope that Allen decides to give it all away now and thereby salvage some of his reputation as a movie maker..
Woody Allen deftly weaves a story of a "rational" man of science (Colin Firth) and his endeavours to debunk a spiritual medium played by Emma Stone.
Greetings from Lithuania."Magic in the Moonlight" (2014) is pure Woody Allen - sharp, smart writing; small, intimate settings and great actors doing there best.
It's not a pure comedy rather than an very enjoyable picture - predictable, because it doesn't wasn't to invent the wheel.Overall, if you like Woody Allen - "Magic in the Moonlight" is for you.
Magic in the Moonlight (2014) *** (out of 4)Woody Allen's film-a-year continues with this rather straight-forward but bitterly charming romantic comedy about a master magician (Colin Firth) who is asked by a friend to investigate a medium (Emma Stone) and see if she's really got a connection to the afterlife or if it's all some sort of scam.Over the past decade or so, very few directors have managed such a major comeback as Allen has.
The movie isn't trying to hit your funny bone or really your heart either but it's just a laid back film that wants to make you forget the outside world for a couple hours.It certainly helps that Firth is so good in his part.
Even though it's another older man making it with a younger woman, no one should criticize Woody for innocently imitating his own lifeStanley (Colin Firth) is an established illusionist engaged by a friend to debunk a young American medium in the south of France, Sophie (Emma Stone), who appears to be fleecing an aristocratic family with her visions ("A pretty face never hurt a swindler").
The antagonism that ensues (see introductory quote) between Stanley and Sophie turns to love, of course, and turns the latter third of the film into some predictable romancing, not unlike the screwball comedies of the last century that entertain with repartee (it's not rapid like His Girl Friday, but it will do) until they, alas, lose their sparring vigor in the transformations of love.But vigorous is Woody's delight in the eternal debate between optimists (Sophie), whose connection with the spirit world radiates a belief in God and the afterlife, and pessimists, in this case Stanley espousing Ibsen's "claim of the ideal" in The Wild Duck—tell it like it is, no romantic notions about the goodness of humanity or the hope of another life.
Stone and Firth make the film work but it's Firth that really illuminated a kind of person I've never met in real life but that I can believe once existed.The ending is a bit abrupt but all in all this is my favorite Woody Allen film.
There are some very interesting, and deep, ideas being bandied about, but the beauty of the setting, the cinematography, the costumes and, in particular, the actors, somewhat diffuses Allen's sharp dialog and often dark take on the world, on love, even on God.This is not a light-hearted film, though it often seems so.
Among the most magical elements of this delightful movie is its un-Woody Allen like quality.
The direction from Woody Allen is taking with that same approach he took with Blue Jasmine where he tried to direct a picture about a sad and non pessimistic character who views life as one tragedy after another and I hope he keeps making films with characters like those I sometimes feel life is that way.
I've just saw this movie, like 30 minutes ago, it is just another funny, intelligent and well made film by Woody Allen, about the only thing that defies logic, common sense and a few other well defined human traits...
But the final film feels more familiar than fresh, the love story dictated to us rather than unfolding organically as the best ones really ought to do.Stanley (Colin Firth) is a curmudgeon who has long ago given up on any such foolish notions as magic, religion or the supernatural, instead viewing the world and everyone around him through bluntly cynical, utterly rational eyes.
A new Woody Allen film featuring Colin Firth, Eileen Atkins and Emma Stone, that should be something good.
But I have to say I am a bit disappointed.Obviously Colin Firth and Emma Stone are good actors and they do manage to create a slightly multi-layered character, but the script is not helping them with that.
Sophie: "More Mystery, More Magic".The story is about a spiritual medium may or may not be conning wealthy families and a Englishman, and magician, will stop at nothing to uncover the truth - though he doesn't realize just how it will affect both his personal and professional life.To me Woody Allen is 50/50, sometimes he can direct and write great movies with a lot of details into, but at times he can direct and write not so good films, not terrible, just a bit weak.
Woody Allen really likes recycling character's and locations, because most of his films he uses the same character's and as I said locations for his movies like: Colin Firths character in the movie is rude, selfish and hard to live with, just like Cate Blanchett character in Blue Jasmine, or what about the city of pairs, that's been use a lot in his other films.Overall Magic in the Moonlight can be slow with it's dragging plot and uninteresting character's, but the film dose have great shot and fantastic acting from Colin Firth and Emma Stone..
Cinema aka Woody Allen delivers a yet another interesting film with 'Magic in the Moonlight'.
Magic in the Moonlight is a film directed by Woody Allen and stars Emma Stone and Colin Firth.
Colin Firth, Emma Stone acting with Woody Allen directing, what could go wrong?
Sometimes a Woody Allen film with just a bit of charm and comedy is enough to get by..
Magic in the Moonlight is a lighthearted movie set in 1929 southern France, written and directed by Woody Allen.
Magic in the Moonlight is the latest romantic-comedy from celebrated director Woody Allen and stars the likes of Colin Firth and the ever enchanting Emma Stone.
Sure it has a charming story of a 'pompous stick in the mud' (Stanley) that has his world turned upside down by a beautiful woman and in the process discovers the true nature of love and magic, but that's about it.I will say that this film has the elegance and grace that Woody Allen is capable of delivering.
Atkins mustered up the most creditable supporting performance with probably less screen time than most of the other actors.If "Magic in the Moonlight" were filmed in the 1970s, the role inhabited by Colin Firth would undoubtedly have been portrayed by Allen himself.
Where is he?' The love interest in this film is the character Sophie, played by increasingly popular Emma Stone.