Woody Allen's Movie for the Pandemic

 
For the past fifty or so years, Woody Allen rarely misses the opportunity to come out with an annual movie.  Even at the age of 84, he keeps churning them out one after another.   

It's been a long time since he came out with a really great one.   Most now are mediocre at best.  But, even a so so Woody Allen flick is ten times better than anything that is out in theaters.

But, wait, in COVID-19's 2020, it's not out in theaters.  These days, if there's that rare motion picture that comes out, you ask where it's playing and somebody will reply with the name of a streaming service.

Such is the cast with "A Rainy Day in New York."   And, Woody Allen or not, I'm so starved to see a new release that I jumped at the opportunity to plunk down my five on-demand dollars to see it.

And, predictably, the new Woody Allen release follows his recent pattern.   It's watchable, but ultimately...meh.

Once again, the writer and director is back in his old haunt of New York City and filming the city in such a way that you can't not fall in love with it all over again.  Back in the day, I spent many a day hanging around Gotham just like a Woody Allen character...or couple...would.   I still miss that place.

But, in reality, even the great Woodman might be running out of tales to set in Gotham City.  In this one, there's a young college student couple upstate.  Elle Fanning plays Ashleigh from Phoenix.   Timothee Chalamet is Gatsby (???!!) who grew up in Manhattan cafe society and acts as the Woody Allen cynical alter ego in this story.  He longs to show his girlfriend the city and, when she is assigned the opportunity to interview a moody film director for the school paper, there is the chance to do just that one weekend.

It's not long before their plans for Nirvana come splitting apart.   She winds up in all sorts of adventures with the director, his screenwriter, and some Hispanic super star actor.   Gatsby reunites with the younger sister of an old girlfriend and then winds up finding out some family secrets from his mom (the always welcome Cherry Jones).   A lot happens but really nothing much happens.  The Woody humor is there but it somehow doesn't have the same bite of...say...forty years ago.

And, oh, yeah, given the title, there is a lot of rain.  Indeed, when there are scenes of characters sitting in rain soaked cabs, you can still see a lot of sunlight.  Maybe that's meant as a metaphor.   Or maybe it's just bad movie continuity.

I'm always torn when I don't like a Woody Allen movie.   If nothing else, he always gives you something new to look at and your attention is always held.  That rarely happens.   Either in theaters or on demand.   That alone pumps up my rating a half-star.

And that explains why this largely mediocre movie gets...

LEN'S RATING:  Three stars.

Dinner last night:  Salad.