Melinda and Melinda (2004)

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:

Winona Ryder was originally cast as Melinda, but was forced to drop out because no agency would insure her due to her famous arrest for shoplifting. Woody Allen stated in the book "Conversations with Woody Allen" that he wanted to cast Ryder, but he couldn't get a bonding on her.

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:

Melinda: Uh I've been having a bad time so I just took some sleeping pills.
Hobie: Sleeping pills? How many?
Melinda: Uh... twenty-eight.
Susan: Oh my god, Hobie make some black coffee.
Melinda: No, I'm allergic to coffee, but do you have any vodka?

Movie Connections:

References My Dinner with Andre (1981)

Soundtrack:

String Quartet No. 4

2 disparate views of the past and future from the same present.

This presentation is original and clever; very nicely twisted from the Rashamon perceptions of several disparate pasts. As usual, Woody is very perceptive and a master of dialog, especially in fracturing relationships.

I noted that the "comedy" writer was heavily focused on the tragic elements of his plot line, while the "tragedy" writer saw little humor in his plot line. Actually, the 2 writers did not seem to differ very much at all in their views. It does not appear that Woody finds life very humorous. Rather, he finds humorous elements in mundane and sad events.

More obviously, most of the characters sound just like Woody. The comedy writer might as well have been Woody and Will Ferrell is a Woody stand-in. Several of the others, including the women, had numerous "Woody" moments. It seems like the actors and even the screen are interfering with Woody's attempts to present his art. Unlike other directors who expect the actors to climb into the characters, Woody seems to ask the actors to stand still while he paints them as the characters. Would he prefer to simple do a monologue?