I think the biggest problem with Woody Allen is that Kenneth Branagh was playing him too perfectly. Emulating the voice, the stammer, the movements... he wasn't playing the character. He was playing Woody Allen playing the character. John Cusack, Will Ferrell, and Scarlett Johnsson have played the typical Woody Allen character in recent years, but they each added their own special touch to them. Branagh makes us feel like we're watching some sort of Freaky Friday moment in motion, where Allen has actually transported himself into the body of the other actor. This is somewhat unsettling to people who are familiar with Allen and his mannerisms.
The story itself isn't too hot, either. It mostly treads old ground. Although there's some very good moments (Leonardo diCaprio is wonderful as a spoiled, sleazy movie star) it's one of Allen's least impressive films...and also one of his least funny comedies. Disappointing. 2.5 stars because he's still a very good writer/director... But this pales miserable in comparison to anything else he's done. 2.5 stars.
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