I like Woody Allen movies, and when I watch them, I know it's him, even when he's not in it as an actor.
He isn't in this movie, on which I stumbled by chance, not knowing it was an Allen movie. And at first it didn't felt like one, and that's a compliment, because Allen movies all have that special feeling of male-female relationships.
I watched the first half, enjoying every scene of Phoenix, perfect as a philosopher who lived out in a dead end. I was surprised to see so much of my inner self sometimes, specially that plan with the judge, someone playing with his life as he does with those of ordinary people who didn't harm anybody or deserve his almost godly psychological punishments. I couldn't help reading about the movie, before continuing to watch the second half the next day.
I knew then it was a Woody movie, which kind of spoiled the fun. Because I knew he would not have the guts to lead this excellent black comedy to its inevitable darker ending.
Woody Allen should be old, philosophically disillusioned and free enough to disturb and arise by going much further then he did, but his America is no country for old men.
The end came quickly, it's a rather short movie, with a very short ending, not much wittiness in the last moral allegations over the murderer getting punished. Really a big disappointment, but hey, it's a Woody, always to much involved in moral dilemmas.
He must have thought about an alternative ending, which could have made his piece up to the class of a serious man.
He made me realize : I prefer the Coen's anyway.
He isn't in this movie, on which I stumbled by chance, not knowing it was an Allen movie. And at first it didn't felt like one, and that's a compliment, because Allen movies all have that special feeling of male-female relationships.
I watched the first half, enjoying every scene of Phoenix, perfect as a philosopher who lived out in a dead end. I was surprised to see so much of my inner self sometimes, specially that plan with the judge, someone playing with his life as he does with those of ordinary people who didn't harm anybody or deserve his almost godly psychological punishments. I couldn't help reading about the movie, before continuing to watch the second half the next day.
I knew then it was a Woody movie, which kind of spoiled the fun. Because I knew he would not have the guts to lead this excellent black comedy to its inevitable darker ending.
Woody Allen should be old, philosophically disillusioned and free enough to disturb and arise by going much further then he did, but his America is no country for old men.
The end came quickly, it's a rather short movie, with a very short ending, not much wittiness in the last moral allegations over the murderer getting punished. Really a big disappointment, but hey, it's a Woody, always to much involved in moral dilemmas.
He must have thought about an alternative ending, which could have made his piece up to the class of a serious man.
He made me realize : I prefer the Coen's anyway.