Films So Good

There is no question that every Woody Allen’s movie is a significal milestone in the annual film calendar. His new movie, that its release in many countries was delayed due to Covid, can be characterised as a classical Allen movie.

Mort Rifkin, an elder film studies academic (Wallace Shawn) suspects that his wife Sue (Gina Gershon), a PR flack, cheats on him with Philippe (Louis Garrel), a young filmmaker and client of her. For this reason, he decides to follow her to San Sebastian Film Festival. As he sees that the fling between Sue and Philippe is growing, he feels more and more isolated. However, thanks to his persistent hypochondria, Mort will fell in love with a younger doctor (Elena Anaya).

Through the usual relationship of the grouch old man with a younger woman, Woody Allen tries to make a movie dedicated to the great European film directors. Like a film festival, scenes from movies of François Truffaut, Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman, Jean-Luc Godard and Luis Buñuel will pass in front of audience’s eyes.

Is that enough to make a good movie? The truth is that maybe Woody Allen himself was unfair to his movie. The movie seems as an advertisement of San Sebastian and its film festival. The scenario is poor and very predictable and I really missed Allen’s clever quotes. Furthermore, even if the actors perform exactly as they have instructed -they have the typical Woody Allen acting- there is no chemistry between them. Finally, if the viewer hasn’t seen the above-mentioned movies, it will be very difficult to understand the meaning behind the adapted scenes.

Despite theses facts Rifkin’s Festival remains a watchable film, but surely if you want to see a Woody Allen movie, it shouldn’t be in high priority.

Movie Rating: 43/100

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