Melinda and Melinda (2004)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

29 October 2004 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

One love story. Two versions. Seriously funny.

Plot:

Two alternating stories about Melinda's (Mitchell) attempts to straighten out her life.

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Party | Multiple Roles | Extramarital Affair | Alcoholism

Cast

Chiwetel Ejiofor	...	Ellis Moonsong
Will Ferrell	...	Hobie
Jonny Lee Miller	...	Lee
Radha Mitchell	...	Melinda Robicheaux
Amanda Peet	...	Susan
Chloë Sevigny	...	Laurel
Wallace Shawn	...	Sy
David Aaron Baker	...	Steve Walsh
Arija Bareikis	...	Sally Oliver
Josh Brolin	...	Greg Earlinger
Steve Carell	...	Walt
Stephanie Roth Haberle	...	Louise
Shalom Harlow	...	Joan
Geoffrey Nauffts	...	Bud Silverglide
Zak Orth	...	Peter

Also Known As:

Melinda & Melinda (USA) (alternative spelling)
Untitled Woody Allen Fall Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for adult situations involving sexuality, and some substance material.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Mono)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Hungary:14 | Norway:A | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A | Canada:G (Quebec) | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-7 | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:12A | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #40800) | Germany:o.Al.

Filming Locations:

Dune Road, The Hamptons, Long Island, New York, USA

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

Woody Allen wrote the screenplay in a month.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: At the beginning of the movie it is poring with rain and yet not a single car that drives by on the street has its windshield wipers on

Quotes:

Susan: You look a little carsick.
Hobie: Why, 'cause I'm the color of guacamole?

Movie Connections:

References My Dinner with Andre (1981)

Soundtrack:

String Quartet No. 4

Woody in full shape

A bunch of guys are discussing philosophy in a bar. Two writers with opposed views on life argue about it: is life tragic or comic? To illustrate their theories, they imagine a story of a woman. The comic writer presents the optimistic, bright tale of Melinda (Radha Mitchell), who just accepts life as it goes by. The tragic writer gives us a destructive, lonesome and troubled Melinda, who deals with depression and suicide. Around the two Melindas we can find a variety of interesting characters: a sincere and kind of shy actor (Will Ferrell) and his ambitious wife (Amanda Peet) in the comic tale; an intellectual woman (Chloe Sevigny) and the gentle pianist (Chiwetel Ejiofor)she falls in love with.

Woody's recent efforts weren't much impressive (yet me and most of critics here liked them), so everyone was a bit skeptical about his next film. Skeptical because it wasn't a proper comedy and because Woody didn't appear in it. Well, after having seen it, I must say this is the best film the man has directed in the last ten years or so (no, I haven't seen Deconstructing Harry). Not only it is wittier, but more transcendental as well. It feels more personal, and its message is clearer and warmer. Woody teaches us a lesson. Let's not get too excited, though. The film itself is not breathtakingly impressive, but it truly delivers, and is overall rewarding. It features plenty of allenisms and classic Woody situations. Precisely one of the correct complaints about the movie is the feeling of déja vu. The film's premise is original (it might even remind of Crimes and Misdemeanors, but believe me: it's pretty different) and very well executed, but the setting and characters all seem a bit familiar.

Nothing wrong with that, though. There's plenty of characters and they're all very well crafted by the director: the protagonist, Melinda, is both believable in its two sides (tragic and comic). Radha Mitchell is excellent in both parts, switching from comedy to drama smoothly. Will Ferrell is great, and I mean great, portraying the allenistic neurotic - he doesn't merely imitate Woody. Ejiofor and Sevigny are also very adequate in their roles. Overall, none of the characters seems forced; they're all believable and honest. I'd like to comment on the cinematography by veteran Vilmos Zsigmond (The Deer Hunter) in his first collaboration with Allen: the photography is by no means revolutionary, but the way the shots were composed was always interesting (a rewatch will help to reinforce this observation).

Woody's direction is masterful as always. I'm fascinated at how he alternates and mixes both stories. The pace and editing are mostly effective, as is the usual jazzy score. The dialogues presented are human and dynamic. This is a throughoutly enjoyable, pleasant exercise on love, infidelity, marriage, life, and so on, which while not being specially mesmerizing nor powerful, is sure enlightening: life is short. We shouldn't see it in a pessimistic way, because that doesn't lead anywhere, nor in an exaggeratedly optimistic way. We just got to accept it and enjoy it, because it can end... like that.