Woody Allen continues his London fetish with Cassandra’s Dream, his third straight movie based in the England’s capital. The film expertly tells the story of two debt-ridden brothers who, in an attempt to strike it rich, end up testing their morals and their relationship.
In Cassandra’s Dream, the brothers, Terry (Colin Farrell, Miami Vice) and Ian (Ewan McGregor, Miss Potter), find themselves desperate for money, but for completely different reasons. Terry, an alcoholic 20-something with a gambling addiction, finds himself nearly $180,000 in debt after an ill-advised poker game. Meanwhile, Ian hopes to move to California with actress Angela Stark (Hayley Atwell, How About You), who believes he is a rich businessman ready to make an investment on hotels in Los Angeles.
Desperate for money, the brothers turn to their multi-millionaire uncle, Howard (Tom Wilkinson, Dedication), for solutions to their financial problems. Unfortunately for them, though, Howard is being investigated for some shady business dealings and needs some help of his own. As a result, the brothers are faced with a tough moral decision that threatens to ruin both their lives and their relationship.
For the role, Farrell sheds his bad-boy image and plays a character with a conscience; though unexpected, the role fits him well. Despite his alcoholism and complete lack of common sense, Terry immediately comes off as the more likable of the brothers – he makes Terry’s mood swings and mental instability believable even if the Irish actor’s English accent is a little off.
McGregor turns in a similarly believable performance as the pretentious, composed Ian, who expertly deceives both London’s cosmopolitan class and the actress Stark into thinking he’s one of them.
But neither Farrell nor McGregor could succeed if it weren’t for Allen’s smart script. He never spoon-feeds the audience information, instead allowing them to fill in big time gaps between scenes for themselves, and the dialogue never feels anything but natural. The movie remains tense throughout but doesn’t use nearly as much action as most typical dramas, instead relying heavily on moods, tense music and constant twists to keep the viewer guessing.
In a world full of happily-ever-after chick flicks and predictable crime capers, Allen delicately explores the strain a relationship can put on a family and the less glorious side of violence, all without ever getting boring. While slow at times, Cassandra’s Dream is a breath of fresh air from a legendary director – and definitely worth seeing.
aggro@umd.edu
RATING: 4 STARS OUT OF 5
