By William Wolf

CAFÉ SOCIETY  Send This Review to a Friend

Writer-director Woody Allen has an affinity for period films, and in “Café Society” he delivers a fresh take on 1930s Hollywood and New York combined with bittersweet romantic entanglements and humor amidst the emotional debris. There is once again his infallible gift for casting exactly the right talent.

With Allen narrating the tale in his dry style, at times the film seems an elaboration on the kind of short stories he has written, here brought to life by the stunning look provided by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro and production designer Santo Loquasto and by the sharp acting of his cast.

The plot involves Bobby Dorfman, played by Jesse Eisenberg in his best performance to date, as a young guy from the Bronx who heads for Hollywood with high hopes for a life different from working in his father’s jewelry store. His only movie world contact is his uncle Phil, a hot shot, fast-talking agent, played accordingly by ever-versatile Steve Carell, who wheels and deals as he keeps name-dropping leading stars of the era.

Phil, at first off-putting, nevertheless finds a slot for Bobby as his helper. He assigns his assistant Vonnie (Kristen Stewart) to show Bobby around. They soon find they are kindred spirits. Stewart is lovely and down-to-earth as she shuns the superficial Hollywood glamour, which Bobby soon sees in the same light. Love blossoms, but Vonnie informs Bobby that she already has a boyfriend, who she says is a journalist.

However, life is not always as it seems, and devilish writer Allen has cooked up a complication that may or may not take you by surprise. We watch the scenario play out in Hollywood and New York as lives become increasingly complex.

Professionally, Bobby becomes a nightspot entrepreneur, taking over the chore of managing his brother Ben’s hot Manhattan club. The trouble is that Ben (Corey Stoll) is an unscrupulous gangster. Here Allen exerts his trademark humor to the hilt, mining laughs from Ben’s total lack of morality, and when someone needs elimination, we see morbidly amusing, quick mob work routinely leading to cement-filled graves with no muss or fuss.

There is also humor mined from Bobby’s family portrait assortment, and the those with whom Bobby becomes involved as his life unfolds. The colorful cast includes Jeannie Berlin, Ken Stott, Sari Lennick, Stephen Kunken, Blake Lively and Parker Posey.

The look of “Café Society” is a strong point, right from the stunning opening shots around a fancy Hollywood pool. There is also Allen’s appealing use of music, here a 1930s score. The costumes, with Suzy Benzinger as the designer, lend eye-apppeal authenticity.

At heart, despite the well-positioned laughs and visual glow, this is basically a sad story about unrequited dreams and love, with feelings and hopes manipulated by life and circumstance. This time Allen has provided a contemplatively entertaining film wrapped with his customary skills and spiced with excellent contributions all-around by cast and crew. An Amazon Studios and Lionsgate release. Reviewed July 11, 2016.

  

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