Six Flags Over Woody Allen

For the last forty or so years, Woody Allen has maintained the amazing pace of putting out a movie once a year.   Naturally with that vigorous output, not all will be gems.   Indeed, there have been a few stinkers.  Critics have labelled the 2017 Woody Allen effort as one of the worst of the lot, although I will argue that even a mediocre or bad Woody movie is infinitely better than anything else out in the cinemas at any given time.

Okay, I think the treatment of "Wonder Wheel" has been harsh.  While certainly not one of his best, it definitely is watchable with some acting performances that should be appreciated.

Now to the title of today's review.   For some reason, amusement parks, most notably Coney Island in New York, have played a role in some of Woody's films.  In "Annie Hall," his family lived underneath the Steeplechase roller coaster.  In the autobiographical "Radio Days," the youngster who would be an adult Woody Allen played underneath the boardwalk nearby.   And now, in "Wonder Wheel," the main characters live right next door to the Ferris wheel.   There must be some sort of psychological connection why Woody keeps coming back to these thrill rides.

In "Wonder Wheel," the main characters all toil in and around Coney Island circa 1950-something.  There's Ginny (Kate Winslet), an emotionally volatile former actress now working as a waitress in a clam house; Humpty (Jim Belushi), Ginny's carousel operator husband; Mickey (Justin Timberlake??!!), a handsome young lifeguard who dreams of becoming a playwright; and Carolina (Juno Temple), Humpty's long-estranged daughter, who is now hiding out from gangsters at her father's apartment.  Add to the mix is Ginny's young son who just loves to start fires wherever he goes.

As for population, that's pretty much it.   And "Wonder Wheel" pretty much mixes and matches these four very flawed people.   Ginny is slowly going insane and is having an affair with Mickey who is also falling in love with Carolina who's trying to hide out from Mafia hit men.   The two mobsters look very much like Bobby and Paulie from "The Sopranos" and that's because they are played by the same two actors who were Bobby and Paulie from "The Sopranos."

For a Woody Allen movie, this is certainly a lot more drama and very little comedy.   But the actors excel in providing very astute performances with Winslet quite believable as she goes through all the stages that will land her in a mental institution.   Scenery is chewed quite liberally as to expected.  What also works in "Wonder Wheel" are the authentic locations.   As opposed to other movies that depict this New York borough while filming in Canada (I'm thinking of you, "Brooklyn"), Woody shoots right there and it just feels and looks like the real thing.  I did, however, recognize the carousel as the one in Rye Playland but, at least, that's still in New York State.

While all the aforementioned histrionics kept me interested in the film, the downbeat and hollow ending certainly was less than what I expected from a well-crafted Woody Allen film.  So, essentially, it's okay to take a ride on "Wonder Wheel."   Just don't complain when you get stuck a couple of time during the ride.  Again, a lousy Woody Allen movie is better than 90 percent of the junk at the other theaters in your multiplex.

LEN'S RATING:  Two-and-a-half stars.

Dinner last night:  Leftover chicken noodle soup.