Rent Cassandra's Dream (2007)

A really bad, clunky "thriller" with not one thing ringing true - Cassandra's Dream review by TB

After the fairly decent Match Point, Woody Allen remains in London/an East End setting for this movie. But all of the technique and storytelling deserts him for this piece of dreck.

Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell are cast as brothers Ian and Terry. But aside from not looking particularly related, they don't behave in any way like brothers. The awkwardness which is on screen whenever they are together is almost palpable. Amusingly, the one way in which they are related though is their terrible accents. Even though in real life they are Scottish and Irish, they don't have particularly strong accents and have in the past done good accents for films.

But these East London accents are another level. We are talking Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins territory. You wonder how Allen directed this with a straight face, let alone how the studio agreed to put it out. I literally couldn't take it seriously.

But even when you get past the accents, things are still dire. Amusingly, this film was released in 2007, a year before In Bruges. In both that film and this, Colin Farrell's character has a breakdown due to horrific trauma he has endured. With In Bruges, you feel this with every fibre of your being, the pain radiating out of the screen. However, in Cassandra's Dream, it looks like he's eaten some dodgy food and got some trapped wind.

The morality tale is the standard fare, but even that is dull and boring. When an actress of the skill of Hayley Atwell can't liven up proceedings, you know you are in trouble. And as the plot gets more far fetched, you find yourself sitting back and counting not only the plot holes but the sheer stupidity. The police are shown as being utterly incompetent, to the extent that they can't even do basic investigation.

And then, the film ends, not with a bang but with a whimper. And as the credits roll, you find yourself thinking "Did that just happen? Did I just watch a group of incredible actors star in something which even Tommy Wiseau would say "This is not up to snuff."

The answer is yes, sadly.

A Woody miss - - Cassandra's Dream review by AS

When Woody Allen makes a good film, he makes a very good film (‘Blue Jasmine’, ‘ Vicky Cristina Barcelona’, ‘Another Woman’, etc., etc.) - but when he makes a bad one, he really makes a bad one! - and this is one of those to add to the ‘Wonder Wheel’, ‘A Rainy Day in New York’, ‘Scoop’ and ‘Irrational Man’ list. The ‘misses’ seem to be becoming more frequent than the ‘hits’ - I’m sorry about this, as he can be so ‘spot on’. 

Interesting misfire. - Cassandra's Dream review by Steve

The final part of Woody Allen's London trilogy, and the third murder story. Working class brothers (Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell) are so desperately in need of money they agree to do a job for their rich uncle (Tom Wilkinson) and murder an associate (Phil Davis) who threatens to expose malpractice.

MacGregor wants cash to speculate on property development and facilitate his relationship with a needy, mercenary actor (Hayley Atwell). Farrell gambles on poker and horses and is in hock to loan sharks. It's a curious film which pretty much abandons all of the director's signature style.

 The dialogue carries no trace of its author's voice, being mostly set among the English working class. There's an original soundtrack- composed by Philip Glass in the manner of Bernard Herrmann-  which is Allen's first for over 30 years. So, no golden age jazz classics. There is nothing to link it to the director other than a preoccupation with the theme of crime and punishment.

This barely scratched the box office. It's a well made thriller and the excellent ensemble cast does good work. The story is diverting and it's interesting to see Woody stretch himself. But it's ultimately thwarted by a lack of suspense, which makes the story feel stretched. It's gloomy fatalism may appeal to fans of film noir.