Movie, 2017

A film which looks and initially sounds like a Woody Allen film, with a cosy and vibrantly colourful 1950s Coney Island, and a few narrative conventions lightly trampled. For Allen, however, this is pretty dark territory, as gangsters turn up to ruin the developing family saga, and all manner of references to drama, writing and tragedy are brought very much to the fore. Towards the end of the film, the scenes and dialogue begin to feel a little lopsided, with Allen’s usual light touch not evident. There are few laughs, either, despite the early signs and set-up; this is no comedy, but rather, a strange reflection on classic tragedy. Overall, pretty watchable, even if the film isn’t a resounding success.