Melinda And Melinda (or, Un-comedic comedy and un-dramatic drama)

Wow, second Woody Allen film review in as many weeks. Or is it the second and third Woody Allen film review in as many weeks? I don't know. I don't think Woody did either.

Melinda And Melinda is two films in one, the same story told twice over, once as "comedy" and once as "drama".

Interesting idea? Yes!

Successful execution? No!

The problem is that the story is neither funny nor dramatic. It is boring. The characters are dull, there is no tension whatsoever and nothing really happens... at all. There is some sort of romance/infidelity going on but it is all so laboured that eventually you are left asking yourself if you are in the comedy or the dramatic thread. Ultimately it is all down to whether you remember which characters were playing on which side of the fence.

The film stars just about every actor who hasn't been in a Woody Allen film yet. Will Ferrell makes his lines funny just because he is saying them. Chloë Sevigny is so wooden you would think she was playing Pinnochio and Rada Mitchell is a complete non-event in both versions of the story as the title character.

It is no mean feat that Woody has been able to write and direct one of the unfunniest comedies and unmoving dramas all in one film. Surely he could have gotten one of them right. At least he had better luck with his follow up.


Tags: movie review, Woody Allen