Movie Review: Magic in the Moonlight
Some of my favorite movie memories with Jenn have been watching Woody Allen films. We both really enjoy his style, his dark and witty sense of humor, and the whimsy in his movies. I don't in any way condone what he's been accused of, but as a film director we're fans. Our love for his movies started with the movie Match Point back in 2005 (highly recommend it) and continued with Scoop, Midnight in Paris, and To Rome with Love.
His most recent movie is Magic in the Moonlight seemed to capture a lot of the magic that made Midnight in Paris one of my favorite movies of all-time. Once again set in France, the movie is about a famous magician played by Colin Firth who has come to aid a friend in debunking a very convincing psychic played by Emma Stone. Super simple concept, and a plot that anyone can get behind without to much fuss. In a lot of ways Magic in the Moonlight is filmed more like a stage performance then a feature film. It has very few set pieces, and contains more monologues then I remember in past Woody Allen movies.
For me the style of Magic in the Moonlight might have been the movies greatest strength. Where it failed was in plot. There is a pretty good twist that happens around half way through the movie and then from that point forward you know almost immediately how the movie is going to end. I really like the movies intent. Colin Firth was basically playing Woody Allen (the constant pessimist) and Emma Stone the optimist. If you've watched any Woody Allen movie you know he loves to talk about death. He obviously has both a huge fascination with and a giant fear of death and he portrays that in his movies. Colin Firth's character is basically his mouthpiece in the movie and it just didn't feel as believable. I would have loved to have just seen Woody in the role. Colin Firth just wasn't super convincing in the role.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy Magic in the Moonlight. In fact the more I think about the movie the more I enjoyed it. Although it doesn't have the lasting appeal for me that both Midnight in Paris and To Rome With Love had, I'm still really glad we saw it.
