Many actors, over the years, have assumed a lesser or great quantity of Woody-isms standing in for him on screen. Some have been no-brainer good fits (Larry David, Owen Wilson) and less easy matches (Kenneth Branagh, Will Ferrell). But it is perhaps Jesse Eisenberg who shows the most promise as a true spiritual soul mate, from his brief appearance in the moderate To Rome With Love.
Cafe Society gives Eisenberg a chance to stretch his Woody muscles, as the callow innocent plunged into the snakepit of 30s Hollywood, in Allen’s 47th feature as director and his third to open the Cannes Film Festival. It also happily reunites Eisenberg with Kristen Stewart following the fizzy Adventureland and botched American Ultra.
And it returns Allen to the cut and thrust of golden age moviemaking, as well as the seam between the New York mafia and creative types — yet from the trailer at least, it looks a lot more Bullets over Broadway than Hollywood Ending. Other points in its favour: Steve Carell being a creep, which he’s always best at; Corey Stoll with hair; Parker Posey back after being the best thing in last year’s Irrational Man; and a plot that looks to nod to Barton Fink and Hail, Caesar! as much as Allen’s own back catalogue.
One issue of concern: we thought Judy Davis was in this. So why no promo love? Allen’s first Amazon-produced movie premieres on May 11 and will be released in the US at the end of August.
