It seems that there has been developed a certain trend among the majority of critics and even Allen's fans regarding his work of the 1990 - 2000+ period. With every new movie he's made there are complains that Woody lost it and would never create anything as great as some of his best films of the 70s and 80s. It is a good thing that Allen does not seem to care and keeps releasing year after year the films that are still among the best the industry has to offer. I've seen every picture Allen has made, and I said in one of my reviews, "Woody Allen makes good, very good, and great movies". Even if I don't love all his movies equally, they are all good, there is something (often - a lot) to enjoy in every single one. His latest, "Cassandra's Dream" is not an exception. This is a tale of two London brothers, Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell), who are good friends and have been very close since their childhood. At one fateful moment of their lives they both would face an inevitable choice of how far they would go to get what they want and what price they would pay. I found both McGregor and Farrell terrific and they had a very believable chemistry together. Tom Wilkinson, as the successful and wealthy American uncle/Mephistopolis who seduces the nephews with a terrifying yet promising offer is wonderful as always. I happened to read a few critical reviews before I watched the film and after I finished it, I couldn't help thinking if it was the same movie we saw? Yes, once again, Allen meditates on the eternal subject of Crime and Punishment and he comes up with the superb script, confident directing, and as a result - a gripping and thrilling film that is as much a crime movie as it is about family values, loyalty, choices, doubt, guilt, and regrets. The film is beautifully shot by great Vilmos Zsigmond (McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Deer Hunter, The Black Dahlia, Images, The Long Goodbye, and Melinda and Melinda}, and the original dramatic unsettling score is composed by Philip Glass. As you can see, there is a lot to enjoy in the Allen's movie of 2007 which I see as one of the best of the last year. I personally can't wait for the next Allen's project to be released, the new film set in Barcelona.
Review of Cassandra's Dream
