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Cassandra's Dream (2007)

Director: Woody Allen

Time Out rating

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12 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

You’ve got to admire the energy of Woody Allen – who’s made a film a year since the mid-1960s. But his ‘London’ period films, commencing with the mildly diverting subterfuges of ‘Match Point’, seem more and more like ‘B’ movies. His avoidable latest – what you might charitably call a light tragedy – is named after the sailing boat purchased by Terry and Ian, chalk-and-cheese, sitcom-named, cockney brothers played by Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor. (The highlight of the movie is hearing them dropping their aitches singing ‘Show Me the Way to Go ’Ome’ together.)

The fates are pursuing both brothers: the more sympathetic Terry, a neurotic car mechanic at a North Kensington garage hoping to set up home with lively, heart-of-gold girlfriend Kate (an admirable Sally Hawkins) is dogged by his gambling addiction. In crude contrast, the more confident Ian – who dreams of being a property developer while still working at their stolid dad’s little restaurant – looks set to be a victim of hubris. Not only does he romance hiss-ably self-regarding Sloane actress Angela (suffering Hayley Atwell) in bro’s borrowed sports cars, but he also believes he can get away with murder, persuading Terry to knock off a visiting associate of their bent, rich uncle (Tom Wilkinson).

Shot over a wide, if ill-used, range of London locations, it’s a weak drama of misguided ambition and fatal character flaw, lacking any discernible authorial voice. You feel, vaguely, Allen had Mike Leigh in mind – or was it Sophocles? – but never told his actors. They flounder in a half-hearted movie lacking any sense of dramatic irony, place or purpose.

Author: Wally Hammond

Time Out London Issue 1970, May 21 - 27, 2008

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User reviews of this film

Hey, youre the goto epxe said...

Posted on Jun 01 2011 00:42 Hey, youre the goto epxert. Thanks for hanging out here.

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SORLEY said...

Posted on May 30 2011 16:50 Awful, acting, script, direction. Can¡t believe its Allen

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billymolloy said...

Posted on May 16 2010 10:52 I thought that this was a film student exercise when i stumbled onto it on hotel tv. The last contender for Directors Gone Wrong, Riley Scott's steaming turd A Good Year, was blown out of the water. Ewan and Colin channel Danny from Withnail and I, or is it Bowie from the laughing gnome period?

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Roger said...

Posted on Mar 12 2009 23:20 An absolute bag of shite

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Withnail said...

Posted on Jan 18 2009 11:59 What an atrocious film. Watched about a hour of it and then had to reach for the off button on the remote. Clunky, weak dialogue... wooden acting.... pathetic plot.... just completely dire. I loved some of Woody's earlier work; it's hard to believe that the same guy that wrote Manhattan was responsible for this total embarasment.

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Adam K said...

Posted on Jan 01 2009 22:22 I agree with most people here, this film is terrible. In fact it's worse than terrible. Ewan and Colin's accents are atrocious, their acting is awful and the film production must have been done on a budget of around £10. It's by far the worst film i've ever seen. You need to watch it to believe it.

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Jack Walker said...

Posted on Nov 04 2008 16:44 Hand on heart...I actually thought this was the most atrocious film I had ever seen. A bunch of first year drama students with a hand held video camera could come up with something more convincing. Truly, truly awful. Allen might like England and English people, but he fails on a profound level to understand the nuances of this country and the result is something that leaves you cringing with embarrassment and wanting to hide behind your sofa. Talented British screenwriter's, actor's and director's who struggle to find work must weep when they see this type of cliché ridden shite make it to the big screen. An abomination of a movie.

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usman khawaja said...

Posted on Jul 12 2008 07:06 Cassandra must have been really furiously hungry as she ate the crew and left the extras for us and that is the only explanation for this most misdirected ,badly shot and worst acted movie of the year,
A middle class brit family with 2 brothers [farell and ewan ]desperately need some money ,their rich corrupt uncle gives them a contract killing in exchange for the dough.
Colin farell was bad in IN BRUGES ,here he is a depressed alcoholic gambler and i can see what got him to that stage with turkeys like Alexander and MIAMI VICE,you seriously need to contemplate suicide after that.
Ewan should have perished On the African motorbike ride for Channel 4 as that would have been good riddance of another awful actor .
They both look ugly too and the camera work was less than amateurish ,it was childish with no editing whatsoever,as for Woody he was not on the set or the outdoors where everybody kept sitting in a terraced house OR WALKING IN CIRCLES ,but somewhere sunning in the Bahamas directing on a videophone or cell .
The mum and dad of the brother duo who have the dream[title] about their retarded sons disappear without any warning after the murder and we are left with two retarded female partners who cannot see two schizoid maniacs who are seriously psychotic .
But wait till you meet the dumb uncle who gives a contract killing to the two most dysfunctional lads in blighty and still goes scot free .
A truly inadvertent must-see hilarious comedy by someone who made Purple rose of cairo ,Hannah and sisters and Sleeper .
time to take a nap -go see cassandra's NIGHTMARE ,it is about LOVE AND DEATH and HOW TO LEARN TO MURDER IN THREE SESSIONS ,OR SORRY WAS IT HOW TO HAVE SEX...- jbz7879

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MIrna Dzamonja said...

Posted on Jun 02 2008 05:03 An excellent film that had me thinking for days afterwords. A very deep understanding of human psychology. In addition, some really funny Woody Allen moments- uncle Howard is unmissable. I cannot understand the view of the critic above.

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Tita said...

Posted on May 27 2008 11:02 Ohhh critics... I wish they could at least do their job properly when then review a film...
I loved the film, direction and performances. Not to be compared to Match Point, just because the guy chose London again as a set... It is only a film ...FFS, a good one... I enjoyed it.

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Boysie said...

Posted on May 25 2008 12:04 Please go and see this film. It is so bad in some parts, it will make you wet your pants with laughter.

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Sarah said...

Posted on May 24 2008 14:02 It was shite.. (n) :-(

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