CASSANDRA'S DREAM

By Michael J Edwards / July 1, 2011

Woody Allen Starring: Ewan McGregor, Colin Farrell, Tom Wilkinson, Hayley Atwell, Ashley Madekwe, Peter-Hugo Daly, John Benfield, Clare Higgins, Philip Davis, Asgley Madekwe, Sally Hawkins Distributed by Optimum Releasing Released on May 23rd 2008 in the U.K. Review by Micheal Edwards

rating: 1.5

Woody Allen continues his foray into the deep-and-meaningful in this London-based drama about two brothers who dream of better lives, come close to getting there, before falling inexorably into a predestined pit of dramatic despair. Terry (Colin Farrell) is a mechanic with a gambling addiction whose luck rides high only in order to set up the inevitable fall; Ian (Ewan McGregor) has dedicated himself to the family business -a dingy and underperforming restaurant - out of devotion to his father, but when he meets an attractive and exciting actress he yearns for the high life and a way out of his rut. In desperation they both turn to their uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson), a successful business man and general family prop in times of need. But little do they know that he is the one who requires a favour from them, one that will prove difficult to fulfill and will rend the family asunder irrevocably. It all sounds very tense, but it really isn't. The plot ticks along at an even pace, carried by Allen's log-practised rhythmic dialogue, but never really engages that much, nor does it provide sufficiently surprising or clever twists and turns as the brothers wend their way into deeper and deeper trouble. But of the greatest concern was the inability of Mr Allen and his leading lads to manufacture any sense of being in London. The dialogue frequently rings false and whilst Farrell makes an admirable effort with the accent he never quite gets it right next to those more natural cockneys he is cast against. McGregor fared notably worse and was constantly dischordant, those lines where he wasn't clearly focussed on getting his accent right (thus detracting from delivery of the content) went completely awry and just sounded odd. Such basic issues really interrupt the flow of a movie made by a man whose major strength lies in cleverly metered scripting. What's more, the film couldn't have made it more obvious that it was a Greek tragedy. Woody Allen illustrates again that he has no faith in his audience by brazenly having character debate their favourite Greek tragedies before the downward spiral really picks up pace, and the constant emotional pointers given by Philip Glass's score seem more melodramatic than poignant or effective. I am concerned that Cassandra's Dream is getting such positive press over in the states. To me it feels like a stale effort that offers little tension or suspense, and provides no compensation through any real insight into ambition, family love or the nature of our dreams and desires. I for one wouldn't recommend anyone else sit through this laborious and dull exercise in archaic dramatic technique, and would even go as far as to suggest that it may be time for Woody Allen to gracefully depart the stage into a well-earned retirement.