Amusing and forgettable. Not good, but all right. And that's a terrible disappointment from Lasse Hallstrom, who I've come to greatly admire because of Cider House Rules, My life as a dog and Chocolat. This film is dreadfully unstimulating in its plot, yet it keeps the viewer amused and from walking out.
I can understand that, after the back breaking shoot of Brokeback Mountain, Heath Ledger opted to spend some time in Venice, portraying a heterosexual fantasy, though he keeps most of his talent in the closet, and it seems only his low voice was utilized. Same for Sienna Miller and her abundant beauty and strength.
Lena Olin is impressive as yet another character in her diverse range, and Oliver Platt, back in Venice after Dangerous Beauty, steals the show as an ugly and lovable merchant -speaking of Merchants, quite a lot more parallels than the setting and the appearance of Jeremy Irons exist between Cassanova and Michael Ratford's Merchant of Venice (which I thought was incredibly good)
Venice, of course, is filmed in all its might and glory and almost naturally the Inquisition plays the bad guy (fun to see Irons play this part, after seeing him as the Christ-like Antonio).
Nice theme is the passing on of the legend of libertine Cassanova, but not well enough worked out to top others with the same ingredient (Mask of Zorro, Princess Bride.
A deeper and much more powerful film on Cassanova would be Fellini's from the seventies with Donald Sutherland.