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6/23/2014

To Rome With Love (2012) - Woody Allen's slightest film to date




Stars on the poster of Woody Allen's To Rome With Love


Americans in Rome fall for the wrong people; Italians in Rome fall for the wrong people.
Everything is wholly gaga in Rome, which initially serves laughter here and there, but after roughly 45 minutes, it is clear that the film has nothing left to offer.
Alec Baldwin has a bizarre character, who just follows Jesse Eisenberg around without really being there, (the film is described as magical realism, but it never succeeds with anything resembling 'real' magic, unfortunately.)
A few other actors charm accidentally, Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha (2012)) mostly. Penélope Cruz has been made into a tawdry tramp here, which is a little hard to take. Judy Greer (Deconstructing Harry (1997)) is OK but doesn't compare to great writer-director Woody Allen's (Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)) earlier, charming, full-bodied female characters.
Allen also plays in the film, battling a young, local rough-neck communist. Rome is a hired, rushed job full of compromises and left-hand work. It is an almost completely ludicrous movie, and probably the weakest that Allen has ever completed.
Allen is at the moment finishing his Magic in the Moonlight (2014) and preparing his next film, as is the prodigious master's modus operandi.  

Related posts:

Woody Allen: 2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V] 

2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2012 in films - according to Film Excess  
Anything Else (2003) - Perfect contemporary relationship comedy
Celebrity (1998) or, Beautiful Celebrities Talk About Sex (guest review)
Broadway Danny Rose (1984) or, Keep your Heart
Annie Hall (1977) or, My Relationship With Alvie Singer 

Allen wanted to call the film Bop Decameron, then Nero Fiddles, but was eventually forced to accept the title (which he reportedly hates); To Rome With Love

Here's the trailer for the film

Budget: Est. 17 mil. euros, equal to approximately 18.37 mil. $
Box office: 73.2 mil. $
= Big hit

What do you think of To Rome With Love?
Do you agree that it is Woody Allen's poorest film to date?

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