Magic in the Moonlight

Filmmakers like Woody Allen have been around for so long that their reasoning for making a film has the time to make a complete cycle. Let me explain: when Allen started making films, he was totally into whacky, funny, somewhat weird content and how they were played out. Then as the 1980's rolled in, he started getting a bit more serious, if not more message oriented in his content. Then as the 1990's were coming close to being over, he then shifted to more of his whacky style again, until approximately the mid 2000's, whereas he would go from serious to humorous and back again, sometimes combining drama and comedy as we see in "Magic in the Moonlight".

The year is 1928. Chinese conjuror Wei Ling Soo is the most celebrated magician of his age, but few know that he is the stage persona of Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth), a grouchy and arrogant Englishman with a sky-high opinion of himself and an aversion to phony spiritualists' claims. Stanley goes on a mission to the Cote d'Azur mansion in southern France belonging to the Catledge family: mother Grace (Jacki Weaver), son Brice (Hamish Linklater) and daughter Caroline (Erica Leerhsen). He represents himself as a businessman named Stanley Taplinger in order to debunk the alluring young clairvoyant Sophie Baker (Emma Stone) who is staying there with her mother (Marcia Gay Harden). Sophie arrived at the Catledge villa at the invitation of Grace, who is convinced that Sophie can help her contact her late husband of approximately a year prior, and once there, attracted the attention of Brice, who has fallen for her head over heels. What follows is a series of events that are magical in every sense of the word and send these characters reeling. In the end, the biggest trick this story plays is the one that fools us all.

Others to round out the cast are Jeremy Shamos as George, Catherine McCormack as Olivia, Stanley's fiancé and Peter Wollasch as Stage Manager.

The writing and directing is, of course, by the incomparable Woody Allen ("Take the Money and Run" '69, "Bananas" '71, "Sleeper" '73, "Annie Hall" '77, "Manhattan" '79, "Broadway Danny Rose" '84, "Hannah and Her Sisters" '86, "Crimes and Misdemeanors" '89, "Manhattan Murder Mystery" '93, "Bullets Over Broadway" '94, "Deconstructing Harry" '97, "Sweet and Lowdown" '99, "Small Time Crooks" 2000, "Hollywood Ending" '02, "Match Point" '05, "Scoop" '06, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" '08, "Whatever Works" '09, "Midnight in Paris" '11, "Blue Jasmine" '13) plus many more. Of late, Allen hasn't actually starred in his films, and I believe it's a good thing in that writing and directing IS his niche. He knows when good actors come along and knows who is going to right for a given part, but this doesn't mean he can necessarily act. In his heyday, his roles really fit his persona, however with creating a number a films that don't entail that persona he does, he knows to stay out from in front of the camera to behind. Films like "Take the Money and Run" and  "Small Time Crooks"-- his being in those films worked because his persona was utilized perfectly, whereas "Match Point" or "Midnight in Paris" he would've been a disaster in those. He's an actor's director, make no mistake about that.
In this film, it gets a bit slow at approximately half way through, but be patient, this is actually purposed--don't ask me why or it would spoil the film for you. Suffice it to say, there is a twist in this that you will not see coming. So even though the writing may seem bogged down, it's a ploy to deceive you

Whether you're an Allen fan or not, there is something for everyone in this. Just be careful, because the slight of hand will catch you by surprise.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                 Rated: PG-13                                  97mins.