What The Critics Think!

"Will Ferrell is a perfect Woody Allen avatar, let’s hope Woody realizes it." Joshua Tyler CINEMABLEND.COM "This is closer to an Allen comeback than anything else he's made recently." David Sterritt CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR "Woody Allen's best film in 20 years." Kevin N Laforest MONTREAL FILM JOURNAL "It's fun and it's funny." Arthur Lazere CULTUREVULTURE.NET "The sensitive dual female role for femme lead Radha Mitchell stirs memories of complex Allen heroines from Annie Hall on down, even if the action is dispersed via a larger ensemble cast which he currently favors." Deborah Young VARIETY

"Woody Allen's parallel-lives story is a nicely made diversion that puts him back on track." James Rocchi NETFLIX "I think this Woody Allen’s best film in maybe fifteen years." Richard Roeper EBERT & ROEPER "A bright, jaunty comedy in a jazz tempo that mirrors two opposing sides of a single personality, dramatized by two different writers with opposite takes on life." Rex Reed NEW YORK OBSERVER "Ferrell is a particular standout in the typical Woody part, combining his own awkward comic sensibility with Allen’s customary neuroses" Eric Melin LAWRENCE.COM "It's Mitchell's movie all the way and the young actress makes the most of her opportunity." Paula Nechak SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

The Inside Story

"There are plenty of gently amusing lines here ... and many nostalgic pleasures." Stephen Whitty NEWARK STAR-LEDGER

If you're a down and out, dedicated Woody Allen fan, you relish every opportunity to see the little maestro at work. Over the years from writing and appearing in "What's New Pussycat?" [1965] through to "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" [2001] the decades have been, in the main very kind to audiences and Allen. Oh sure there's been some low points but when you look at an actor, writer, director who has been at work for fifty years, you'd expect that somewhere along the line, as most do, not everything you put your hand to is going to please everyone. When you have the talent that Allen does, there must be a multitude of ideas constantly going through his mind. I mean, just look at the huge variety of product he has been involved with over the decades. From highs and lows there is an impressive list of memorable titles such as: "Take The Money and Run" [1969]; "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex" [1972]; "Annie Hall", [1977]; "Hannah And Her Sisters" [1985]; "New York Stories" [1989]; "Crimes And Misdemeanors" [1989]; "Manhattan Murder Mystery" [1993]; "Bullets Over Broadway" [`1994] and "The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion" [2003]. Now Allen brings to the screen the tale of "Melinda And Melinda" starring Australian actress Rhada Mitchell in the dual role of Melinda, a young woman who features in two stories one of which is a romantic comedy while the other is a romantic drama. A small group of people are dining at a Bistro. Max and Sy are both playwrights. Their discussion about which has the most appeal to an audience, a good drama or good comedy is challenged with the tale of a young woman named Melinda. Both then place Melinda in a story that supports their argument. Allen weaves these two stories together taking the viewer on a journey with both Melinda's. Allen says it's a reflection on his personal view of some of his own movies. "It’s something that occurs to me many times in my movies. They can often be treated comically or dramatically, and I usually opt to treat them comically," Woody Allen says. "But it occurred to me that you could get a story and you could fool around with it both ways. For me its just chance. This was just the idea that came out of the box. I have a lot of ideas for stories. They come to me all the time." With "Melinda And Melinda" Woody Allen presents his audience with "an ensemble piece populated by accomplished, artistic, occasionally neurotic men and women living in modern day New York whose lives become increasingly complicated" and all are fascinating to watch. What may be hard to believe is that Woody Allen wrote the script in a month. It's evidently his particular way of working. Once he has a story down on paper Woody Allen then goes to work rewriting the story until he comes up with a script. Another trait of Woody Allen's is "most of the actors only get their particular part, not the entire script. I thought it was strange to work that way," notes Chiwetel Ejiofor, "but I enjoyed it. You’re wholly focused on your character and your storyline." So why does Woody Allen work this way? "Woody works in a unique way," says producer Letty Aronson. "He has a basic idea for a project, but it is not written. When he knows he has the financing to make the picture, he writes the script." That in itself speaks volumes for faith backers must have for Allen. And, when it comes to the script Aronson revealed that "If he feels something didn’t work, he’ll rewrite it and reshoot it during production." Woody Allens younger sister Letty Aronson [who has worked on twelve of her brothers films] echoes my personal opinion that the concept of "Melinda And Melinda" is indeed brilliant. "From one person’s perspective a story can be funny; from another person’s perspective it can be sad. Woody is brilliant at recognizing those aspects of the way people think and operate. You and I may see it," she explained, "but we don’t isolate it like he does. He’s very perceptive, and he brings that to bear on a situation." This concept may not be lost on all cinemagoers. After all, audiences often see tragedy as comedic, particularly when it comes to horror film. How many times have you been cringing in your seat watching some poor victim really copping it and the audience suddenly laughs? You know what I mean! But back to "Melinda And Melinda". The star of Woody Allens latest film is a woman Allen chose himself. Australian actress and former "Neighbours" cast member Radha Mitchell. In fact Woody Allen rang her himself to offer her the part of Melinda. Mitchell remembers how excited she was to receive the call on her mobile phone. "Of course I was really excited. He sent me a copy of the script and I said, sure." "She was a discovery," says Allen. “I saw her in a little offbeat black and white movie called "Four Reasons" that she wrote, directed and starred in. Radha was so interesting. She turned out to be lovely and wonderful." Producer Aronson agrees. "We were so lucky to get her. First of all she is incredibly beautiful, a very good actress, and just perfect for the role. She had the intensity where it was important, but also a little bit more." Full credit must go to Mitchell who does a wonderful job performing the role of Melinda in two opposed stories. Mitchell is in very good company in the film, sharing the screen with a cast that incudes Will Ferrell, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Wallace Shawn and Amanda Peet. I know what you're thinking. Will Ferrell in a Woody Allen film. Really? Yes really. "My movies tend to be more sophisticated than the films Will is known for," Woody Allen says. "But he did a good job." "When we got Will Ferrell, he really hadn’t been in anything, just Saturday Night Live," says Aronson. "He proved himself to be a very versatile actor. He has the ability to be a real, sophisticated, romantic comedy lead. That was very interesting." And what was Ferrells reaction to the offer which came through his agent who then arranged to have a script flown to the star of "Elf" and "Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy"? "First I had to get over the headline of ‘Being in a Woody Allen Movie,’ which, for every actor in general and comedic actor in particular, is high on the list of big moments in his career." One of my favourite actresses Amanda Peet ["The Whole Nine Yards" and "Igby Goes Down"] thought it was awesome to get an offer for a Woody Allen film. "I grew up in Manhattan; I went to Columbia; and my mom is a psychologist," she said. "Woody Allen is my hero. I would have done two lines in this movie. I was so awed by the fact that Woody would even ask me." Peet must have been very impressed by the experience. "I would give my right arm to work with him again." Those fans who have thought "they'd give their right arm" for another meaty Woody Allen flick should find real sustenance in "Melinda And Melinda" which is filled with the creature comforts that were a hallmark of a good Woody Allen film. Crew Bytes "MELINDA AND MELINDA" was .......
directed by Woody Allen ["What's Up, Tiger Lily?", "Interiors", "A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy", "Radio Days", "Manhattan Murder Mystery" and "Everyone Says I Love You"]; screenplay by Woody Allen ["Annie Hall", "Manhattan", "Husbands and Wives", "Small Time Crooks", "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" and "Hollywood Ending"]; costume design by Judy Ruskin Howell ["Born on the Fourth of July", "Sleepless In Seattle", "The Horse Whisperer", "Remember the Titans", "Bruce Almighty" and "Guess Who"]; production design by Santo Loquasto ["The Fan", "Radio Days", "Bright Lights, Big City", "Mighty Aphrodite" and "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion"]; edited by Alisa Lepselter ["Walking and Talking", "Sweet and Lowdown", "Small Time Crooks", "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" and "Hollywood Ending"]; cinematography Vilmos Zsigmond ["The Deer Hunter", "The Witches of Eastwick", "Maverick", "The Crossing Guard", "Assassins" and "Life as a House"]; set decoration by Regina Graves ["You've Got Mail", "Coyote Ugly", "Pollock" and "The Interpreter"] produced by Letty Aronson ["The Curse of the Jade Scorpion", "Hollywood Ending", "Anything Else" and "Match Point"]. Casting About "MELINDA AND MELINDA" stars .......
Will Ferrell ["Drowning Mona", "Old School", "Elf", "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy"]; Stephanie Roth Haberle ["Crimes and Misdemeanors", "Philadelphia", "Cradle Will Rock" and "Wonderland"]; Chloë Sevigny ["The Last Days Of Disco", "Party Monster", "Dogville" and "Shattered Glass"]; Amanda Peet ["Animal Room", "Touch Me", "Origin of the Species", "Changing Lanes" and "High Crimes"]; Josh Brolin ["The Road Killers", "Nightwatch", "Best Laid Plans" and "Hollow Man"]; Jonny Lee Miller ["Trainspotting", "Mansfield Park", "Dracula 2000" and "Mindhunters"]; Neil Pepe ["Homicide", "The Spanish Prisoner", "Analyze This" and "Spartan"]; Chiwetel Ejiofor ["Amistad", "Dirty Pretty Things", "Love Actually" and "She Hate Me"]; Wallace Shawn ["Manhattan", "A Little Sex", "Nice Girls Don't Explode", "Clueless" and "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion"]; Larry Pine ["I, the Jury", "Dead Man Walking", "The Ice Storm", "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "The Door in the Floor"] and Radha Mitchell ["Love and Other Catastrophes", "Pitch Black", "Phone Booth", "Man On Fire" and "Finding Neverland"] as Melinda and Melinda. What It's All About

"Woody Allen is back in fighting form with Melinda and Melinda." Peter Travers ROLLING STONE

A group of people are dining at their favourite Bistro. Two of the diners are playwrights. Both have opposing views as to which is more important, comedy or tragedy. When the conversation turns to the story of a young woman named Melinda, Sy and Max set out to prove a point by making her the central character in the genre they each favour. Max's story portrays Melinda as a tragic lost soul who, struggling to come to grips with losing custody of her children to her husband turns up unannounced at a friends Laurel and Lee's apartment just as they are about to serve dinner to their guest. Sy sees the humour in that and produces a story that is not only a comedy but one of redemption through romance in which Melinda knocks on the door of her neighbour's Susan and Hobie's apartment just as they are serving dinner to their guest. Both playwrights proceed to expand their stories from this point, hoping to prove that they have the right slant on what developes. The Verdict "While Woody Allen doesn't appear in "Melinda And Melinda" all is not lost for like all good Allen films this one features a very strong cast which includes Will Ferrell whom Allen acknowledges did a good job. Solid performance by Australia's Rhada Mitchell as Melinda and Melinda will certainly boulster her career chances. It takes a little getting used to at the start but viewers will soon settle into both stories which are deliciously adultish. "Melinda And Melinda" is very much a Woody Allen film in the style that endeared him to countless fans. Recommended." The Cast

Radha Mitchell Will Ferrell Neil Pepe Stephanie Roth Haberle Chloë Sevigny Chiwetel Ejiofor Michael J Farina Josh Brolin Jonny Lee Miller Wallace Shawn Larry Pine Matt Servitto Arija Bareikis Brooke Smith Zak Orth Andy Borowitz Amanda Peet Shalom Harlow David Aaron Baker Christina Kirk Alyssa Pridham Katie Kreisler Quincy Rose Steve Carell Geoffrey Nauffts Rob Buntzen Daniel Sunjata Vinessa Shaw

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Melinda Hobie Al Louise Laurel Ellis Man with dog Greg Lee Sy Max Jack Sally Cassie Peter Doug Susan Joan Steve Jennifer Acting student Director 2nd Assistant Director Walt Bud Antique shop owner Billy Stacey

The Crew Directed by Woody Allen Written by Woody Allen Produced by Letty Aronson Cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond Film Editing by Alisa Lepselter Casting by Juliet Taylor Production Design by Santo Loquasto Art Direction by Tom Warren Set Decoration by Regina Graves Costume Design by Judy Ruskin Howell Production Manager Helen Robin Run Time 99 minutes Rated M15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2005 - Fox Searchlight Pictures - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2005 - Impact Internet Services & The Movie Pages - All Rights Reserved