Crime and punishment in a modern, anonymous London. Two perfectly matched, mismatched brothers. Yachts that cannot afford, dreams of Hotels in California and an everyday of losing and losing. An opportunity with a huge catch attached to it and, of course, the inexorable is waiting. Crisp, fast dialogue. Excellent performances by Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrel as the brothers, an outstanding bit by Clare Higgins as the mother and the ubiquitous Tom Wilkinson as the rich uncle from America. There is something endearing about the dimness of the two brothers and we follow their predicament appalled and entertained. The ending feels a bit rushed. I longed to be part of those final instants just to catch a glimpse of that ultimate decision. A morality tale from Woody Allen, what next?
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littlemartinarocena2 February 2008
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brenttraft20 January 2008"Cassandra's Dream" is the final installment of Woody Allen's London trilogy and concludes his best trio of films in over 20 years.
This is a totally uncompromising film. It's all dialog, character development, and acting. Any "action" takes place off camera and although there is bloodshed, we do not see a drop of blood on screen. This is in stark contrast to recent bloodbath type movies like "No Country for Old Men," "Sweeney Todd," and "There Will Be Blood."
Unlike "Match Point," this film is not overly derivative. The acting is good and Colin Farrell gives his best performance ever. Philip Glass's score helps convey the feeling of inevitability. However, the photography is kind of dull and fuzzy.
If you like old fashioned movies that rely of story, dialog, and acting; "Cassandra's Dream" is exactly the type of movie you thought they did not make any more. -
mjsinclair19 November 2007Woody Allen has a genius for creating fully fledged characters in minimum time. A few minutes into the opening scene which shows the two brothers buying a boat that they cannot afford, we already understand that theirs is a genuine, close and mutually supportive relationship a relationship which will be severely tested later on.
Two brothers aspiring to improve their lives in very different ways: one hoping to win enough money through gambling on dogs and poker, the other through investing in restaurants and property in Los Angeles.
Two brothers who both need money for very different reasons: one to escape the clutches of loan sharks who would break his legs, the other to escape to LA with the beautiful, sophisticated woman of his dreams.
Two brothers dealing with guilt and remorse in very different ways: one suffering ever deepening mental anguish and sleepless nights, the other pragmatically shrugging off "the past" as he ambitiously plans his future.
Shot in London, with an all British cast, the standard of acting is of the highest quality. The brothers' contrasting personalities are played to perfection by Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor. Hayley Atwell (who like McGregor, also trained at the Guildhall School in London), would give Scarlett Johansson a run for her money as the sexy, sultry, siren, while Sally Hawkins shines as Farrell's homely, happy girlfriend.
With unremarkable, minimalist music from Philip Glass, matched by minimalist opening and closing credits, and editing which leaves-in scenes which should have been taken out, the film gives the impression that it was made in a hurry.
Yes, this is a film from a Woody Allen, who is not at his very best. However, at nearly 72 years of age and after writing and directing over 40 films, receiving 3 Oscars and over 77 other awards, his genius is surely entitled to a day off. This time it is the actors who carry the day. -
nonsequitur24718 November 2007I saw this film yesterday, and went in with no idea what to expect. All I knew was it was a new Woody Allen movie with Collin Farrell, Ewan McGregor, and Tom Wilkinson, and supposedly rather dark.
Dark it was, but not overwhelmingly so. Farrell and McGregor play London brothers who are hard-up for cash, both with love interests that they're looking to take care of. Their rich Uncle Howard (Wilkinson) agrees to help them out as usual, if they do him a favor and "get rid of" a business relation who poses a threat to his finances. Despite many doubts, their situations are pressing, and the young men agree. The story then follows the different ways they deal with the factual immorality of what they have done.
It's not exactly a cheery film, but it isn't quite an intense, ominous drama, either, like the somewhat similar brothers-in-trouble based melodrama 'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead' that was recently released. In 'Dream,' there's a thin layer of dark humor that adds a refreshing twist here and there.
Everything was good on the acting end, though not mind-blowing; both McGregor and especially Farrell gave strong performances. The story, though rather predictable, is still enjoyable. Nice use of London and the British countryside on Allen's part. Overall, it's a solid film that will entertain, but that's about it. -
claudio_carvalho21 September 2008In London, the loser brothers from a working-class family, Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell), buy a second-hand sailboat name Cassandra's Dream for their leisure. Ian poses of big shot and has big dreams, saving money to invest in two hotels in California while the unstable Terry is an alcoholic gambler addicted in pills and mechanic. When Terry loses a great amount in a card game, Ian lends his savings to pay part of the sum Terry owes to loan sharks. When their wealthy uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) arrives in London coming from China, the brothers see the chance to borrow the money they need to quit the debt with the loan sharks and to invest in the hotel. However, Howard asks them to get rid of his former associated Martin Burns (Phil Davis) that is threatening him and his businesses. Ian and Terry have to decide whether they shall cross the line and help family or face the lack the money to resolve their issues.
"Cassandra's Dream" is a tragic thriller where the plot point is the moral decision of two simple but honest brothers whether they should cross the line, commit murder and live with that later. Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor have great performances and their characters are perfectly developed; Hayley Atwell is extremely gorgeous. However, Martin Burns is not well-developed, maybe intentionally by the writer and director Woody Allen, to keep a distance from the viewer the same way Ian and Terry do in the story. The tension in the plot is limited, actually prevailing the dramatic moral fight of Terry and Ian later in this engaging movie. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Sonho de Cassandra" ("The Cassandra's Dream") -
majikstl29 January 2008An intriguing thing about Woody Allen's CASSANDRA'S DREAM is the presence of actor Phil Davis. The movie deals with a plot to kill Martin Burns, the character played by Davis. The character isn't particularly interesting and the reasons for wanting him dead remain mostly unclear, but, as Burns -- if you don't look too closely and from a distance -- Davis bears a vague resemblance to Woody: same thinning gray hair, prominent eyeglasses, gaunt face, skinny physique and taste in casual sport coats. The character gets precious little screen time and Davis gets very little opportunity to give Burns anything suggesting a personality, so the similarities are purely superficial -- but then, the resemblance CASSANDRA'S DREAM has to a Woody Allen movie is also vague and superficial.
It is, admittedly, unfair to criticize a filmmaker for not making a movie that fits neatly into a previously constructed mold, to try to do something different. And Woody has two established styles -- absurdist comedy and dark, oh-so serious melodrama. In his prolific career he has managed to run the gamut between the extremes, occasionally mixing tones, yet still creating films that have a distinctly "Woody Allen" quality. But, as was the case with the equally banal (and vastly overrated) MATCH POINT, the problem with CASSANDRA'S DREAM is that it is not only devoid of Woody's style, but of any style. As always, the film is technically proficient and slickly done, but there is a coldness, a lack of purpose behind CASSANDRA. Like many of his films, it is essentially a dramatized short story, but it lacks either his rambling, cynical sense of humor or a pointed moral that makes its serious tone have a bite. Even his tired trademark rant about the futility of life due to the absence of a benevolent god is given only slight attention.
The story is relatively simple: In London, two close, working-class brothers find themselves strapped for cash and seek to borrow money from their wealthy uncle. Uncle Howard is more than willing to oblige, but there is a catch; the boys have to earn the money by killing one of Uncle's business associates, the aforementioned Mr. Burns. From there, the story could go in two directions: a comedy of errors as the two hapless amateurs try to commit the crime or a suspenseful drama as the two get drawn deeper and deeper into a dark world that neither wants nor is prepared for. Allen takes the story in the latter direction, though unfortunately, as he has shown previously, he has no skill for creating suspense or directing scenes of violence.
CASSANDRA'S DREAM isn't a bad movie, but rather an inadequate one -- or more accurately, an incomplete one. The performances are just fine, with Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell as the brothers, Ian and Terry, doing their best to flesh out thinly drawn characters. Indeed, the actors could easily carry the material were it not for the weakness of Allen's poorly contrived narrative. Even accepting as a given that Ian and Terry are amateurs, their plan to kill Burns is embarrassingly simple-minded and illogical: If Uncle Howard is the one most likely to want Burns dead, wouldn't his poor nephews' sudden display of unaccountable wealth seem suspiciously convenient? The story needs to be fleshed out with believable complications and should build to an ironic twist that delivers a bang and not a mere whimper.
The screenplay that Allen offers is not without its merits. The two men played by McGregor and Farrell, are basically decent blokes, but their need for money and the way Uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) manipulates them to go bad in the name of family loyalty pushes them to rationalize their behavior. Further, Ian is ambitious and Terry is a gambler, and Allen subtly defines Uncle Howard as an ambitious gambler in his own right. But, the story also shows that Ian and Terry have parallels to Burns as well, similarities the script would have done better to explore with much greater interest. As is, the battle between good and evil as Allen lays it out is exceedingly lame; the "we-can't-do-this / we-have-to-do-this" dialogue is not backed up -- or hyped up -- with any dramatic tension. When the boys actually meet Burns and they (and we) find him to be a nice, friendly man who seems undeserving of his fate, the dramatic tension should be kicked up a notch. We are barely allowed to care for Terry and Ian to the point where we don't want them to commit the crime, but we should certainly care as well whether their innocent victim dies. As in MATCH POINT and CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS (and to some degree even MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY), Allen can't seem to muster up much interest, let alone sympathy, for the victims of the crimes he concocts. A recurring theme in so many of his films is characters who rant and rave about how unjust and cruel our supposedly godless world is, yet when Woody creates little worlds for his movies, the god he plays isn't any more compassionate or caring. What's missing -- and I know it is a tired complaint -- is Woody's sharp wit that not only blesses his best characters with the quirks and charm that make them humorous, but humane as well. When Woody defines his characters through wit, they come alive; when he defines them by their bitterness and discontent, they remain stagnant and uninteresting, and worse, largely one-dimensional. All of Woody's laborious moralizing dialogue never has as much power as one of his well constructed pieces of casual sarcasm. -
ferguson-620 January 2008Greetings again from the darkness. Once so faithful to filming in NYC, Woody Allen continues his love fest with England. Although not quite at the level of "Scoop" or especially "Match Point", this one is still entertaining and has more than a few classic Woody moments.
The acting in this one is top notch. Ewan McGregor and Collin Farrell are working class brothers who just can't seem to get things right in their lives. Farrell plays the weaker one who has more than a small gambling and drinking problem despite the dedication of Sally Hawkins (in a nice performance). McGregor is the slicker of the two and has high ideals about what he could accomplish if not held back by his parents' restaurant. When he falls hard for an actress, played by Hayley Atwell, he sets himself up for some bad decision making.
One of the best movie scenes you will find is the one with McGregor and Farrell and Tom Wilkinson holding a very animated conversation under the tree in the rain. The camera work and sound really compliment terrific performances and crackling dialogue. That one scene is worth the price of admission.
The moral of the story seems to be, if you must have a partner while committing murder, at least make sure it's not a weak at heart partner who has a conscience! My biggest question in this one is how could these two parents ever conceive such attractive sons?? The camera work is complimented by another great score from Philip Glass. Woody's next film is based in Barcelona and features the great Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz. Can't wait!! -
antoniotierno14 January 2008This is another Woody Allen's London effort, after "Match Point" and "Scoop". As in the other two stories (more in Scoop actually) it's not easy, at a point, to decide whether it's about a comedy or something else. Farrel and McGregor play very pleasantly this Greek like drama, the story's watchable on the whole and the rhythm is suitable for the tight script the director conceived. Lead actors are really talented and the beautiful Hayley Atwell will certainly have a promising career in Hollywood. As for the others, Tom Wilkinson is here very fine in his small role, and John Benfield, in the part of the father, acts very proficiently and probably looks more Greek than British..
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dboyleukgroup6 February 2008This is, perhaps, Woody Allen's darkest tale. No hope, no possibility of hoping. Dreaming seems so meaningless. The "I want" syndrome. Nothing will come out of it and shame on you for wanting it. Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor are wonderful in performances without frills or shine. Strangely enough, Allen shows a bit of compassion for his characters but no respect. He seems to despise them. It is merit of the two actors that we manage to stay with them without falling in love with them without even like them very much. The ending, I felt, was a bit of a cope out. Woody got to the gates of hell but didn't venture in. He leaves to us the details of all that darkness. The film, however, bears Woody Allen's name but could have been a film by Basil Dearden or J Lee Thompson and I mean that as a compliment.
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EThompsonUMD11 August 2008"Cassandra's Dream" [2007] explores a favorite Woody Allen conundrum: whether there really exists a moral line that when crossed causes the transgressor to suffer intolerable pangs of guilt - and, if so, whether those pangs originate from a watchful Judeo-Christian God, the fateful Furies of classic tragedy, or simply the chance structure of an individual psyche.
The film presents us with two such transgressors, the brothers Ian and Terry Blaine (Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell), who for various reasons agree to commit a murder of convenience against a man they know only as a threat to their rich Uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson), whose goodwill and largess they covet. One brother - good looking, smooth talking Ian - seems quite capable of rationalizing the crime and reaping its benefits, which for him include the funding of his latest get-rich-quick scheme and the successful wooing of a beautiful aspiring actress (Hayley Atwell) he must social climb to attain. But the other brother underachieving, goodhearted Terry motivated by huge gambling debts, a girl friend with domestic inclinations, and a weak mind made even weaker by a growing addiction to alcohol and painkillers, begins to unravel almost as soon as the murder is committed.
As Terry's guilt-ridden torment begins to threaten both Ian and Uncle Howard with exposure, Uncle Howard the ultimate amoral sleaze ball proposes that Ian knock off his brother too. Thus the stakes in the crossing-the-line plot are raised to the ultimate Biblical crime: fratricide. Can Ian, having gone a long way down the slippery slope to utter nihilism, complete the job? That is the last moral question Allen raises in "Cassandra's Dream," and I'll leave it to his small cadre of faithful viewers to find out the answer for themselves.
I will, however, divulge the verbal playfulness in the film's title. On a literal level, "Cassandra's Dream" is the name the brothers give a sailboat they purchase in the film's opening sequence. It is named in honor of a 60-1 shot that came through for Terry during his initial lucky streak at the dog races. Symbolically and, some might say, heavy-handedly the sailboat Cassandra's Dream evokes the world of Greek tragedy and specifically Homer's Cassandra, daughter of King Priam of Troy, who is blessed/cursed by Apollo with the gift of prophecy that no one heeds. Cassandra foresees the tragic doom of Troy but it powerless to stop it.
Allen's film has a similar sense of inexorable doom, and the sailboat that symbolizes tragic vision also frames the film's action physically in its opening, central turning point, and climactic scenes. Since the boat was acquired by seeming "luck," yet, like Oedipus' crown, is really a harbinger of unforeseen but quickly arriving tragic fate, it neatly encapsulates the film's central theme as well. On top of this is a broader play on the metaphorical use of ships to express luck, good or ill. Ian ironically assumes that his "ship has finally come in," but as his father (like a one-man Greek chorus) reminds him: "The only ship certain to come in has black sails."
Like most of Allen's films in the past decade, "Cassandra's Dream" reworks territory familiar to those who have followed his career since the beginning. Many of the same moral issues were raised and explored in one of Allen's greatest films, "Crimes and Misdemeanors," whose title in turn revealed the literary sources of the theme: Dostoyevski's "Crime and Punishment." Allusions to Greek myth and tragedy were extensively laced albeit comically throughout "Mighty Aphrodite" and in the opening of Allen's preceding film, "Scoop." "Cassandra's Dream" is not as good as any of these or perhaps not even as good as the last example of "serious Woody," "Match Point," but it's not a bad film. Its plot has a stark, stage-like melodramatic quality that is compelling even if entirely humorless and mostly predictable. The pairing of two fine young actors like Farrell and McGregor creates a fascinating chemistry and the rest of the cast, particularly Wilkinson and the gorgeous Atwell, has its moments. Vilmos Zsigmund's cinematography, highlighting London and the English countryside, is stunning, and Philip Glass's score adds a powerful emotional dimension as well.
I've gone back and forth on my feelings about this latest effort from Allen, but I've finally veered toward a qualified thumbs up. For devotees of "funny Woody," I'd suggest a pass, but his die hard fans of whom I am certainly one will find much of interest in "Cassandra's Dream." -
ellis-3124 July 2010Some of the best British (and Irish) actors can't save this film: it's a real stinker.
The dialogue is completely unbelievable; it's awkward, stilted and unrealistic. As is the plot.
Whilst Allen is the master of New York banter, he's got no feel for British dialogue, and nearly every scene is cringe-worthy, whether it's the mockney family meal, or the sub-Curtis toffery. Farrell struggles to keep his accent, McGregor's character is shallow and unconvincing, and even the great Tom Wilkinson is obviously floored by the poor quality of the script.
Sorry, this really hurts, but if you value your memory of Allen's earlier films, avoid this. -
It seems that there has been developed a certain trend among the majority of critics and even Allen's fans regarding his work of the 1990 - 2000+ period. With every new movie he's made there are complains that Woody lost it and would never create anything as great as some of his best films of the 70s and 80s. It is a good thing that Allen does not seem to care and keeps releasing year after year the films that are still among the best the industry has to offer. I've seen every picture Allen has made, and I said in one of my reviews, "Woody Allen makes good, very good, and great movies". Even if I don't love all his movies equally, they are all good, there is something (often - a lot) to enjoy in every single one. His latest, "Cassandra's Dream" is not an exception. This is a tale of two London brothers, Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell), who are good friends and have been very close since their childhood. At one fateful moment of their lives they both would face an inevitable choice of how far they would go to get what they want and what price they would pay. I found both McGregor and Farrell terrific and they had a very believable chemistry together. Tom Wilkinson, as the successful and wealthy American uncle/Mephistopolis who seduces the nephews with a terrifying yet promising offer is wonderful as always. I happened to read a few critical reviews before I watched the film and after I finished it, I couldn't help thinking if it was the same movie we saw? Yes, once again, Allen meditates on the eternal subject of Crime and Punishment and he comes up with the superb script, confident directing, and as a result - a gripping and thrilling film that is as much a crime movie as it is about family values, loyalty, choices, doubt, guilt, and regrets. The film is beautifully shot by great Vilmos Zsigmond (McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Deer Hunter, The Black Dahlia, Images, The Long Goodbye, and Melinda and Melinda}, and the original dramatic unsettling score is composed by Philip Glass. As you can see, there is a lot to enjoy in the Allen's movie of 2007 which I see as one of the best of the last year. I personally can't wait for the next Allen's project to be released, the new film set in Barcelona.
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Holocinema16 January 2008Although the weakest in the UK trilogy, the film is still a worthy effort in tragic film-making. For some reason it doesn't seem to reach it's full potential, I'm not convinced by the naturalistic cinematography ( a bit to sober and murky ), although it conveyed a sense of realism it made it difficult to follow expressions in the characters (specially because Allen uses few close ups - you tend to need more light to see detail in the wide shots), the ending is a bit abrupt, and the build up isn't as effective as it is in "Match point". Sadly the trilogy ends with a whimper instead of a bang, but it's still Woody Allen at his best in many regards...
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mrmikeyhenry1 August 2008Rebuttal by Mr Michael Henry to 'audiowells' review of Cassandra's Dream. 1st August, 2008.
Dear Sir, I fear you may have had your eyes closed the entire film. Mr Woody Allen has died and left the camera running.
Below is a quote from one of the actors appearing in the movie: "Most of the scenes play out in a single frame," McGregor explained. "There is a lot of dialogue. There are not many takes it's wonderful. You get home at 4.30pm in the afternoon. You can have a life." (actual quote from Venice Film Festival after premiere screening in 2007)
Now if that isn't an admission of lazy film-making... I don't know what is... I would have rather worked to 8pm every night and got a Better Performance! The acting was truly abysmal. Here's a bunch of decent actors on autopilot, reading directly from a poorly written script... nothing rang true. It was all bad acting... All of it.
The cinematography was dreadful. Stilted shots, far too objective and detached for a story centred around internal conflict. Virtually not a closeup in the entire film. Very little depth to any of the shots. Vilmos Zsigmond I am afraid has also died on the job.
But Mr Allen. Please stop making films. Seriously. Your thematic concerns were rammed down our throats at every possible moment... we get it - its a Greek friggen tragedy!'... Many scenes were repeated and repeated... How many time do we have to hear Ewan McGreggor tell his father he's going to leave the family business... and how beautiful his new girlfriend is... ON and ON and ON... Jesus someone stop him.
No tension... Poor dialogue... 20mins too long... We seriously destroyed the DVD disc after watching it... to prevent another human being for having to sit through that ordeal and sacrifice just under 2 hours of their precious lives.
Ah... that felt good to get off my chest.
Now I feel clean again. -
Gordon-1116 February 2008This film is about two brothers having to resort to criminal means in order to get funds to pay off loans and to pursue dreams.
Continuing with Woody Allen's infatuation with Britain, "Cassandra's Dream" is set in Britain with a predominantly British cast. Ewan McGregor is a rising star with great plans for the future, while Colin Farrell is a messed up guy who drinks and gambles excessively. Both of these brothers are convincingly introduced and portrayed. Their bond with each other, their past childhood, hopes and dreams are presented, making them very believable and real as people. When they are faced with a moral dilemma, the role seems to be reversed. As a result of this well written and executed plot, I find this film engaging and suspenseful.
I particularly like the moral struggle, and the contrast between the two brothers that play against their stereotype. Colin Farrell is particularly great in this film, his portrayal of a depressed person is convincing and moving.
It is also striking that Woody Allen has very much toned down the paranoia in "Cassandra's Dream". I miss the comedic paranoia such as "Anything Else". However, "Cassandra's Dream" is still very much a Woody Allen film, with the same witty and crisp dialogs, and right to the point scenes.
I find "Cassandra's Dream" very entertaining and gripping. -
paulcreeden22 January 2008The trouble with being great is the problem of endurance. Woody Allen has been great. However, his weakened muscle tone is evident in "Cassandra's Dream". It plods. And it plods. And...well, you get the idea. Unlike Mr. Allen's snappy Manhattan dramas, this moral tale has a very central and rather boring theme. Ewan McGregor, Colin Farrell and Tom Wilkinson drone and stumble over a rather poor script. No memorable lines here. Lots of hand-wringing. If Colin Farrell's character repeated his particular whining chorus one more time, I would have nodded off. As it was, I was struggling to stay awake. This is not a modern Shakespeare's revelation of Greek tragedy. It is a boring and joyless exercise for Mr. Allen's die-hard fans. It would have been nice if Mr. Allen had worked out a little harder himself.
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SnoopyStyle3 December 2013Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell) are brothers who gets into money troubles. They like to play big, buying a boat together, looking at flat, and driving fast cars from the garage where Terry works. Terry gets into gambling debts of 90,000 pounds to some loan sharks. Ian is pretending to be a big property developer to win over beautiful actress Angela (Hayley Atwell). They go to uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) for the money. Only uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) asks for an unbelievable favor to take out former associate Martin Burns.
These are not particularly good people. Ewan and Colin are so charming that you want to root for them, but the characters don't allow you to. The tone of the movie is too light. Woody Allen just doesn't have the gritty ugly style that this movie is demanding. It seems like he keeps trying to make an amusing character study. It would be a lot better as a dirty thriller. Woody Allen just isn't that kind of director. -
KineticSeoul7 October 2009Although there is little to almost no action in this movie, the dialog and character development were good, as for the acting it was very believable. This is not a derivative film, and even if the brothers in this movie played by Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor has similar goals in mind there personality is very different. They are however very supportive of one another and close, but that will be put to the test cause they stick together even when trying to achieve the same goal.
***Maybe Spoiler*** Even if one brother felt he payed more for what they committed than the other brother and thus the big conflict/climax begins.
This film was far from being a brilliant film, but it was gripping, intense and intriguing. A well acted and intriguing tragedy.
7.4/10 -
socrates417 May 2019I've heard it said that Woody Allen's films all have that same flavor to them. Even though they're different in a lot of ways, they all still feel like Woody Allen films. CASSANDRA'S DREAM, however, didn't have that for me. It felt totally fresh and new, and I would not have guessed it was a Woody Allen film just by watching it, credits excluded of course.
That being said, it's not necessarily a great movie. It's good enough, and enjoyable at moments, but pretty forgettable in the grand scheme of things. The acting is very good, however, and it's worth watching for the fantastic pairing of Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor alone. Recommend for fans of the actors, and for Woody Allen fans. -
evanston_dad20 June 2008First with "Match Point" and now with "Cassandra's Dream," Woody Allen has carved a new niche for himself as director of juicy little British thrillers, like something right out of Patricia Highsmith. "Cassandra's Dream" is not as good as "Match Point," but that's not to say it isn't a good movie. It's quite well done; the story bears remarkable resemblance to another film that came out last year, Sidney Lumet's "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," but it doesn't feel like a rip-off. Just as in "Match Point," which was an updated version of "An American Tragedy," Allen takes familiar material but makes it feel original.
Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell play brothers, one sharp and ambitious, the other dumber and nicer, who find themselves in need of financial help from their jet-setting uncle (played by Tom Wilkinson in a couple of brief scenes), and agree to murder the chief witness in an upcoming investigation into the uncle's business practices in exchange for his assistance. The requisite pangs of guilt ensue, the brothers' worlds start to unravel, and everything ends in a tragic but inevitable conclusion. The film is full of the same preoccupations of Greek tragedy -- fate, guilt and hubris -- that Allen frequently examines in his comedies, and that more than anything identify this as a Woody Allen movie.
The acting is quite good, and even if the writing doesn't offer anything profound, Allen knows enough about the basics of dramatic narrative to ensure that everything is developed well and logically. I wasn't on the edge of my seat the way I was while watching "Match Point," but I was pretty engrossed.
Grade: A- -
das41723 June 2008Working class brothers Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell) are two men stuck in otherwise predictable and stale lives. Ian, who has dreams of investing in American hotels, finds his work at his father's restaurant a bore while Terry is merely content to gamble his money away in order to pass the time. The two desperately want more out of life but are conscience of the fact that their current status in life doesn't offer more than wishful thinking.
Ian, however, finds his life suddenly changed when he comes upon Angela (Hayley Atwell) who is a struggling but talented actress. He quickly starts a relationship with her while convincing her that he is already involved in the hotel business. However, as their relationship grows, Ian finds himself with the realization that he needs more money, if not time, to make the financial investment that will allow him to leave England for the US where he believes he can make his fortune. He also wants to take Angela with him and again that will take money he doesn't have.
Terry's life is also soon changed but for the worse. A gambling addict with no self control, he loses thousands at a single poker game that reduces him to the mercy of loan sharks. Ian, who was counting on Terry to help support his own investment plans, is furious at his brother's foolishness and is at loss at what to do. Terry himself finds himself in a hole that not even his mother is willing to help him out of due to his past irresponsibility.
In the background of their lives and current problems looms Uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) who has always provided for Ian and Terry's family in times of need. A successful doctor and businessman, Uncle Howard is the hero to both Ian, Terry, their mother, while a irritation to their father who is envious of his success. It is Howard who the family turns to whenever their is a financial problem and who is thus a saint for his goodwill. Ian and Terry believe that Uncle Howard will come through for them again and bail them out of their current problems.
Uncle Howard, however, is not the man they thought him to be. If he is to help them he will require a single act of desperation that will push both Ian and Terry towards a decision they never thought they would have to make. The price for both of their dreams will only come through the murder of an innocent man. And once the decision is made both Ian and Terry will find that the consequences of their actions will cost more than their previous problems could ever have threatened.
Cassandra's Dream can be easily compared to Before The Devil Knows You're Dead and rightfully so. Both are stories centered around a pair of brothers who, through their own actions, find themselves in a desperate situations that call for desperate actions. However, unlike Before The Devil Knows You're Dead, Cassandra's Dream lacks the dramatic drive and writing that pushed forward Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke characters. Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell are convincing but the script and story itself seems deflated at times despite what the plot is trying to create.
There is also the matter of the conclusion. The deaths of Ian and Terry, ironically on the boat which they named Cassandra's Dream out of celebration, does not give a satisfactory ending. They have both paid for their crimes but Uncle Howard, the man responsible for sending them down the road of destruction, is seemingly left off the hook. There also isn't a realization on the part of Angela or Terry's girlfriend Kate (Sally Hawkins) of what their lovers were responsible for. A more conclusive ending would have wrapped up these two subplots and left more of a moral message.
A good story that lacks a strong conclusion, Cassandra's Dream is still a story of how morals can easily be pushed aside for greed and the tragedy that takes place when one does the unthinkable for wealth.
7/10 -
adambwood11 July 2009I've just seen this film and couldn't believe how bad it was. Utterly predictable ending, which I won't give away as I can't believe anyone couldn't figure it out after about half an hour. The script and story were very badly, vaguely drawn I felt, what exactly was Ewan McGregor's plans in the restaurant trade, what did his Uncle do which was so bad etc?
The cinematography was pretty flat, why no close-ups? Was it because there wasn't anything in the story exciting enough to merit giving any of the actors a chance to say anything of import?
The characters were, at best sketchily drawn and I actually felt sorry for the actors having to try and deliver such tosh.
The cast did, I felt the best they could, but they were really fighting a losing battle with the script. The only member of the cast I felt acquitted themselves well, was Tom Wilkinson, he did though, have the only part with any decent lines/scenes.
If I hadn't known it was a Woody Allen film, I could never in a month of Sundays have guessed. I think it's time for Mr Konigsburg to announce his retirement and stick to playing clarinet. -
henrycoles929 September 2021At first I was taken aback that the movie had a somewhat B-rated/TV-movie feel to it but I stuck with it because I knew Woody Allen, Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell together surely meant something truly great and unexpected was afoot. And they absolutely delivered with a magnificent, complex, thrilling story of what happens when people make the choice of throwing away their moral compass when under pressure. The main theme is how committing one murder made the two brothers "cross the line," such that they would have no qualms about murdering again to keep a lid on their first crime. One brother manages to silence his conscience, keeps on rationalizing and ensures they're both committed to the act when push comes to shove, while the other can't help the guilt of taking a life. I wouldn't want to spoil it but the ending is classic poetic justice.
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bullit_wolf20 January 2009Even though it somehow resembles the relationship between the two brothers in "Before the devil knows you're dead", it's something else. If you have a strong moral compass, you will love the struggle the guys go through when they realize the easiest way to get out of financial problems is to kill someone for money.
I myself have what you can call "loose morals" and "a broken moral compass". Something like Ian, who understands a chance like the one is presented to him may never appear ever again. That's what his brother can't understand and can't live with. I couldn't be touched by his remorse and edginess, even though Colin Farrel did his best. It wasn't an easy role and he did better than anyone else could, in my opinion. It's an ironic film, in the end. Howard's constant talk about how family is all you have and all you can trust just gets washed away when he encourages Ian to kill his brother, so he can save his own ass. On top of all that, the end is as ironic as it can be, even though I thought it sucked.
All in all, it's a film worth watching, but not at the cinema, because it can get quite boring at times. Definitely rent it though. -
"Cassandra's Dream" was worse than I was told by our leading critics after Venice. I saw it at an exhibitor's preview where critics were allowed in: there were two people left at the end of the screening, me (and I have mobility problems) and an exhibitor who had agreed to give me a lift, and abused me all the way home for making him sit though it.
Has it been reedited since then? That was late last year.
There's not a heck of a lot more I can add to pad this out to 10 lines.
The acting was fine.
The Cinematography excellent.
The script stank, which was the problem.
Could somebody please tell us down under if this debacle was changed before release, as it appears to have been from the other posts? At the moment, it is headed for direct for DVD release later this year here, which would be a pity if the film was improved.