Movie Review: Café Society

4 stars out of 5

Since 1991, I’d seen 24 of the previous 25 Woody Allen films in the theater. (For you trivia nerds: Melinda and Melinda) And in the past handful of years, I’ve enjoyed a ritual of seeing Woody’s annual summer release. In the dark, air-conditioned theater, it was like taking a little vacation to the destination of Woody’s choosing.

Café Society was released on August 5, 2016. The problem being, I didn’t go to the movies from August 5-21. Or since then either. You see, first was the Summer Olympics, and I do enjoy me some Olympics. And then shortly after the Olympic flame was extinguished, I found myself hospitalized. So, among the other indignities I’d face over the following five months, I missed my yearly visit with the Woodman.

Thanks to a helpful neighbor and the services of my local library, I was able to recently obtain and view a DVD copy of Café Society. It’s winter and I was not in the enveloping comfort of a cinema, but I still enjoyed the movie quite a lot. The film re-teams Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, who costarred in my favorite movie of 2009, Adventureland. It’s the 1930s and Eisenberg plays Bobby Dorfman, a nice Jewish boy from the Bronx who heads to Hollywood to improve his fortunes. Eisenberg, by choice or direction, is the latest in a long line of Woody stand-ins, and he has a lot of fun with the voice and mannerisms.

Bobby hopes his Uncle Phil will help him find work. That’s Steve Carell, portraying Michael Scott with a lot more confidence and success. Phil is a top Hollywood agent, and an amusing running gag has his conversations constantly being interrupted by important calls and stop-and-chatters, quickly discussing imminent deals involving Golden Era celebs.

Phil asks his comely secretary Veronica (Vonnie) to show Bobby around. That would be Kristen Stewart, and if you were wondering whether I still love her with short hair, well yes, yes I do. Vonnie’s midwest down-to-earthness is the antithesis to their La La Land surroundings, and Bobby falls hard. Alas, Vonnie has a boyfriend. Who turns out to be… the already-married and significantly older Uncle Phil. D’ohhh!

Now, in Woody’s lesser works, he’d milk this comic scenario for what it’s worth, find a way for some characters to escape happily, and ride gently into the sunset. But modern Woody has a headful of deep thoughts, which he smoothly incorporates to raise the film to another level. He deals with morality, family obligations, intelligentsia vs. brutishness, New York vs. L.A., losing your religion, unrequited love, requited love, and lasting regrets.

In addition to the leads, we get some really nice casting. Jeannie Berlin, fresh off her terrific performance as the district attorney in HBO’s The Night Of, is great as Bobby’s mom/Phil’s sister back in the Bronx. Parker Posey and Paul “Remember when I was in the Parks & Recreation cast? No?” Schneider are believable as New York socialites. Lively Blake Lively is the New York girl Bobby meets who… is also named Veronica! D’ohh! We also get Paulie Walnuts, Barney from Raising Hope, and Laura Palmer. (She’s alive!)

Woody himself is also around, as the film’s narrator. His voice does sound a little tired, but his script is sharp as ever. (A hilarious early set piece with Bobby and a Jewish prostitute is classic Woody.)

The film is shot and lit beautifully. It’s as if 85% of the story takes place during the “magic hour” — the settings glow. And Woody gets to freely insert the old-timey music he loves so much.

The only thing that was jarring to me was seeing “Amazon Studios” in the opening credits, but these are the current financial realities of filmmaking. Nevertheless, I’m already excited about 2017’s Untitled Woody Allen Project, when I’ll be back in a dark, air-conditioned theater.