Wonder Wheel

Woody Allen again wrote it and filmed it himself, and I enjoyed it again. The well-arranged retro story with great actors (Kate Winslet and Jim Belushi are simply amazing) offers a familiar plot, but that doesn't mean that it can't surprise or that it lacks unforgettable moments (the phone call). The extra colorful retro camera initially goes well with the plot, but then it gradually begins to contrast sharply with it, which is a great idea, and I really liked the simple but impressive metaphor with a little pyromaniac who, like his mother, just can't help it. (01/06/2018)

An over-the-top theatrical extravaganza in the fun atmosphere of 1950s New York, backed by musical bangers of the era, as well as the legendary Coney Island – a gratifying backdrop for countless filmmakers. The content is always on the same note, a poignant story of ordinary people and their ordinary lives full of bits of happiness and disappointment. Kate Winslet lightly digs Cate Blanchett at times, and on the whole she succeeds. Justin Timberlake is again heavy on charisma. But don’t expect anything revolutionary. (03/04/2018)

Now this was a great film to spoil the mood. I liked that the story was set in the 1950s, only to gradually realize that there would be nothing else to like. The talkative lifeguard got on my nerves from the start, the vast majority of the dialogue was dull, and Ginny was beyond unlikeable. Moreover, the story had a very slow pace, and I was bored. Woody Allen didn't score any points with me this time. (07/05/2018)

I almost want to say that this is a classic Woody Allen film, although this time I found his story really simple and it is saved by the performances, which are excellent in all cases, at least as far as the main roles are concerned. Kate probably stands out the most, but the film doesn't give her the space to really shine as an actress. (02/15/2018)

There are a few (and really not many more than a few) amusing moments in Wonder Wheel, but seriously, this is not a comedy, but rather an inaccessible relationship drama in the spirit of Eugene O'Neill's plays. Just as the main female protagonist is torn between her boorish husband and an unreliable lover, the entirety of Wonder Wheel is in conflict between a dazzling visual aspect with extremely kitschy compositions and golden light-infused shots and the sad stories of unhappy characters (which are in defiance of the deliberately unnatural retro stylisation, which gives the impression that the characters are moving about in theatrical scenery). I enjoyed the unintentional (?) overlap of two incompatible styles more than the banal relationship mishaps, diffident acting performances, dialogue written without wit or humour and the rigid directing (the proven shot/countershot technique in dialogue scenes, which comprise approximately 98% of the film, is only rarely supplanted by a longer shot with a more sophisticated intra-shot montage). The saddest thing is that this is clearly not a film by a talentless filmmaker. He primarily gives the impression of being terribly lazy, avoiding the effort to pull more out of himself. Again, the work of a tired artist from which the viewer will also walk away feeling tired. 50% (09/07/2019)