There’s a dreamy retro vibe to the latest Woody Allen film that is appealing, but the movie feels more than a little like a justification of his personal love life. Set in 1929 Europe, Magic in the Moonlight looks at the most unlikely of romances and basically concludes, The heart wants what the heart wants. That disingenuous and self-serving message gets in the way. As does Allen’s odd choice of setting, in which cynical middle-aged magician Stanley (Colin Firth), based in pre-Hitler Berlin, romps around the French countryside with beautiful young spiritualist Sophie (Emma Stone). Unconvincingly, Stanley questions his lifelong rationalism, concluding that Sophie’s smile has the power to conquer his decades of cynicism. And while we’re on the subject of improbability, how likely is it for a penniless, 20-something ingenue to fall for a much older misanthrope while a young (if silly) heir has offered her a lifetime of travel and leisure (remember, this is 1929)? Disappointing: That’s my best description of Magic in the Moonlight.
Should You See It? Wait for the DVD. —D.W.
Viewed at Landmark Plaza Frontenac