On July 29th, Woody Allen's latest film made it's debut out into society. After tepid reviews for 2014's "Magic in the Moonlight" and 2015's "Irrational Man", Allen seems to be back in his artistic stride. Like "Magic in the Moonlight", 2016's "Café Society" is a period piece. The film, set in the 1930's, is about a young Jewish man (Jesse Eisenberg) from the Bronx who moves out to Hollywood to work for his talent agent uncle (Steve Carrell). Along the way, Eisenberg's Bobby Dorfman falls in love, out of love, and in love again.
Jesse Eisenberg is perfect as the Allen stand-in character. So perfect, I'm actually surprised that Eisenberg and Allen haven't worked together more often. He is perfectly neurotic and cynical. His delivery of the dialogue is flawless.
Steve Carrell, who had previously worked with Allen on "Melinda and Melinda", replaced Bruce Willis as Phil Stern, who is introduced in the first shot of the film as the king of Hollywood society. I can only imagine what Bruce Willis' performance would have been like, but Carrell is both comically serious as a high powered agent who thinks he is the most important man in the world, but also deeply existential.
Playing Vonnie, a secretary that Bobby Dorfman falls head over heels for, is Kristen Stewart. Stewart is often criticized for giving a cold or wooden performance in her films and in the beginning, I thought this film would be no different. But in the second half of the movie, Stewart's performance does a complete 180. Although "Café Society" is Stewart and Eisenberg's 3rd film together, the pair start with little chemistry. Bobby and Vonnie begin as friends and the two act like virtual strangers. Suddenly, they fall in love. The scenes immediately following this moment seem forced at best.
For the non spoiler version, Vonnie and Bobby are separated for some months and then find each other again. It is at that point that I actually believed that they were in love. Stewart suddenly warms up in such an inexplicable way. She seems more comfortable and also stops playing Kristen Stewart and starts playing the character of Vonnie. But this may have been intentional. "Café Society" shows the maturation of Vonnie and Bobby. In the beginning Bobby is naive and idealistic. Vonnie has been in Hollywood longer and is already more jaded, but she still possesses a naiveté.
When the two are reunited later in the film, they both have changed. They both have gained success in one way or another and moved on. Vonnie has grown up. She dressed more maturely and she also seems more comfortable in her own skin. I can't help but wonder if this is also reflected in Stewart's acting. A similar maturation is certainly present in Eisenberg's performance.
Woody Allen uses his films as a way to broadcast his philosophical musings. Each of his characters spout his existential thoughts. One that certainly steals the show is Bobby's brother-in-law, Leonard, played by Stephen Kunken. When the narration introduces Leonard to the audience, he is described as a philosopher and a communist. Everything Leonard says is deeply nihilistic and hilarious. At a New Year's Eve celebration, Leonard has a short monologue where he contemplates the passage of time and quotes Socrates about "a life unexamined". Leonard's cynical outlook is typical in any Woody Allen film, but it has never been more humorously executed.
Another scene stealer for me, was Corey Stoll. Stoll's previous credits include Netflix's "House of Cards" and HBO's "Girls". He had also worked with Allen before in "Midnight in Paris". Stoll plays Ben, Bobby's gangster brother. Stoll's character is the perfect contrast to Kunken's Leonard.
Much like Allen's 2011 hit, "Midnight in Paris", "Café Society" is a love-letter to the Golden Age of Hollywood. Allen beautifully captures the elegance and glamour of Old Hollywood. The scenery is beautiful and the costumes are fantastic.
*WARNING THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD*
Each of Woody Allen's films possess a theme. For "Midnight in Paris", it was nostalgia. "Café Society" seems to focus on the paths we choose in life but also the paths we don't choose. Vonnie tells Bobby early on that she has a boyfriend, but the big reveal is that she has been having an affair with her boss and Bobby's uncle, Phil Stern. Vonnie ends up choosing to marry Phil and Bobby moves back to New York City. After some months, Phil has business that takes him to New York. Vonnie and Bobby reconnect and their tension is palpable. After spending a whole day together, the two kiss, but choose to go back to their respective spouses.
Bobby seems content with his wife (played by Blake Lively) and infant daughter but also plagued by "what if". While in Central Park, Bobby and Vonnie share that they haven't been able to stop thinking about each other. Vonnie says she chose Phil because they had built a relationship for so long and she and Bobby were still getting to know each other. At the end of the film, Vonnie and Phil are at a New Year's Eve party in New York. Bobby and his wife, Veronica, are also in New York, but at a separate party. The film ends with both couples ringing in the New Year, but Bobby and Vonnie seem to have the distant expression on their faces. Sometimes Woody Allen is subtle, but it is obvious that as "Should old acquaintance be forgot" is sung during these long shots of Vonnie and Bobby's faces is completely intentional. The one is wondering about the other and that infamous "what if".
"Café Society" is now playing in theaters. Watch the trailer now.
