Filmgoers are hoping that Woody Allen’s next film will be his new ‘Annie Hall.’ That iconic film revamped the romantic comedy genre forever. There is no doubt that Diane Keaton’s quirky performance and bohemian fashion elevated it to brilliance. Allen won the Oscar for Best Director and Keaton for Best Actress. It seems like every film Allen churns out (one a year), is always compared to his earlier work. The last time he hit it out of the park was ‘Midnight in Paris’ and ‘Blue Jasmine.’ His latest ‘Café Society’ has that same nostalgic longing for paradise lost. It’s a familiar tale but one Allen embellishes with stunning cinematography and a deeply talented ensemble cast. It’s fun to take another walk with Allen during Hollywood’s Golden Age.
The opening shot is stunning at a backyard Hollywood party with the deep blue water of the swimming pool shimmering in the backdrop. Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg) is a Bronx kid with no direction. Eisenberg is the perfect stand-in for Allen. He has a neurotic but likable quality to his personality as he spits out one-liners. Bobby arrives in Hollywood and hopes his talent agent uncle Phil (Steve Carell) finds him work. He makes Bobby wait a few days before meeting with him at his office. He promises him a job starting out as an errand boy. He calls in his secretary Vonnie (Kristen Stewart) to show him around town. Bobby quickly falls in love with her but she already has a much older boyfriend that complicates their burgeoning relationship.
There are terrific gag pieces scattered though out the film. One scene in particular is when Bobby has a call girl come over to his motel room. Candy (Anna Camp) is new to the profession and it turns out she’s Jewish. When Bobby hears that he is her first customer, he tells her that he’s not in the mood. She’s determined to go through with it anyway. The back-and-forth banter between them is hilarious and vintage Allen dialogue. The story also focuses on Bobby’s family life back in New York City. We get to meet his Jewish mother Rose (Jeannie Berlin) and his gangster big brother Ben (Corey Stoll). There is a running gag with Ben that whenever someone gives him or his family a hard time, he solves the problem by pouring concrete over the schlemiel.
The cast is solid. The chemistry between Eisenberg and Stewart is easygoing and palpable. They’ve worked together in 2009’s ‘Adventureland’ and 2015’s ‘American Ultra.’ He is so likable as Allen’s alter-ego that you cannot help but root for him to find love. Many filmgoers have dismissed Stewart as a bad actress as a result of the Twilight series. She proves these accusations are false once again. She gives her character nuances through a minimalistic performance. She nails the innocent Midwestern girl that comes to Hollywood to become rich and famous. Bobby loves those qualities about her but soon she falls for the glam and glitz of Los Angeles. Allen disparages the superficiality of it all for the East Coast. Soon Bobby is longing to return to New York City where his brother gives him a job at a nightclub. Bobby meets the beautiful Veronica (Blake Lively) but there is always regret about what could have been with Vonnie.
This is what makes the film resonate with underlying meaning. All the while, Vittorio Storaro’s cinematography makes every scene snap with aesthetic grace. There is that feeling that even though there is a bit of regret in the choices they make, that life goes on. When Allen’s scruffy voice narrates the events, there is a touch of melancholy in his tone. Time marches on and as the film moves on to a New Year’s Eve celebration, it wistfully shows the characters reflecting on their lives and their choices. ‘Café Society’ is a good film that makes it worth taking another walk down Allen’s vintage Hollywood.
