Woody Allen films are usually made for a very specific demographic. If you are not over the age of 21, his films will most likely be more of a bore than a piece of entertainment. While I can't say that he has gone back and forth for me over the years, I can say that his most recent endeavour in Cafe Society is definitely a step in the right direction for him. While having Jesse Eisenberg and Steve Carell be family members who are in love with the same women felt like an enormous stretch, the casting of this film was always in the back of my mind while watching this film. This is a very imperfect film that tries very, very hard to be classy. Here is why I believe this particular Woody Allen outing is impressive, but has a lot of room for improvement. Although there is much to love about this film, being a huge fan of the media of film in general, it seems as though Woody Allen wrote this screenplay based on his experience in the industry over the years, making the film feel more like just another one of his projects, rather than being something special. Following a young man (Eisenberg) as he is recruited by his uncle (Carell) to be his assistant at a production company in Hollywood, he quickly learns the ins and outs of the industry, all while falling in love with his bosses secretary, who has also been seeing the same girl. This film very rapidly transitions into a love triangle-esque picture and that is where I believe it lost a little bit of steam. For every classic that Allen has directed, there has always been a self-indulgent one to follow. Whether it is a classic like Annie Hall or a misstep like Magic in the Moonlight, his style only seems to work for viewers about half of the time. His comfort zone has always been in romance, in that almost every single one of his films has a central love story surrounding it. You either buy into that particular love story or you don't. That is the most frustrating aspect about his films. It seems as though his great ones come when the dialogue matches his characters the most. That being said, Cafe Society definitely falls in the right area this time. While Allen does use many film terms to make the film seem much smarter than it actually is, that does benefit the film in the long run, for viewers that are not as familiar with the Hollywood lifestyle. Granted, it did not bother me too much, but it did admittedly take me out of a few scenes. Carrell, Stewart, and Eisenberg all play off each other in a very believable manor. Having said that, I did not buy into the chemistry between Jesse Eisenberg and Blake Lively that comes a little later into the film, but thankfully they are not on screen much together. The use of Hollywood film terms to make the film feel smarter ended up increasing my enjoyment. On the other hand, I can see why many people would dislike this aspect. Cafe Society will definitely not be remembered as one of Woody Allen's best, but he has surely been accused of making pretentious films over the past decade. Happily, this is not one of those in my opinion. If you are a fan of his style, I highly recommend viewing this film. At just over 90 minutes, it is a very easy film to take in. It is a very simple story of trying to make a name for yourself while falling in love at the same time. In the end, this is a well-written screenplay (albeit on-the-nose for cinema fans), with some great chemistry between the lead actors/actresses, and earns a nice spot on Allen's filmography. It may not be for you if you already haven't enjoyed some of his work in the past, but it is a nice little film to watch on a rainy day.

Leave it to Woody Allen to coax a fabulous performance out of Kristen Stewart. I was hoping he'd make magic with her like he does for so many of his heroines/muses/ ingénues (I know, the paternal attention can be construed as icky), and he sure delivered, whether by crafty post-production or actually weaning her off her self-conscious tics (running her fingers through her hair, looking down and shaking/vibrating her head, squinting excessively, tsk-ing before speaking). I'd like to think he just tied her hair back with a cute headband, lit her like a sunset, trained the camera on her in his signature uncut shots, and dared her to move as little as possible. The result is dazzling amber-hued perfection. She is natural and luminous as Vonnie, the affable, down-to-earth film studio secretary caught between her bigshot boss and his naïve, starry-eyed nephew. Her standing posture is willowy, her voice sounds a little more resonant, and there are a few languid body poses that just make her look oh-so foxy yet oh-so innocent at the same time. Even when she does tsk or shrug, she does it intentionally with volume and flat palms up, respectively. And her chic wardrobe of sunglasses, crop tops, and ankle socks under kitten heeled Mary Janes are defying me to make some terrible fashion decisions. The scene of Phil and Vonnie's break-up is so reminiscent of Isaac and Tracy's in "Manhattan." KStew is just so still and quiet like Mariel Hemingway was, and it's sad. Not heartbreaking or poignant or whatever grandiose emotion. Just sad. Apparently, this was the first film since "Twilight" that KStew had to audition for, and I'm glad she seemed to have worked her bobby socks off. So as you can tell, I barely paid attention to anything else when KStew was on screen. The story is a basic love triangle with a light sprinkling of Woody's ethical and nostalgia-infused subplots and an overdose of his pandering narration. Jesse Eisenberg is Jesse Eisenberg, and his character is ill-defined - sometimes gallant and diffident; sometimes cruel and artificial. Steve Carell's film exec character's impressive reputation is only spoken of and not shown, and Carell doesn't really possess that style of mogul charisma exuded by Bruce Willis - originally cast but fired for laxity - or even Paul Schneider, who plays a small role but with surprising gentlemanly elegance. Blake Lively is, of course, vibrant and classy as Bobby's wife. She doesn't seem to need coaching on how to be an ingénue. Anna Camp is rather sympathetic and unintentionally funny in her bit part as a nervous call-girl. * Spoilers* The only portion of the film that I sensed KStew slipping is after her transformation into the Hollywood society wife. She shakes her head, furrows her brow, tucks her hair behind her ears - making her seem less secure despite her newly minted status. The huge feathered epaulets overwhelm her slim frame, and her hairstyle remains cutesy just sans headband, which invites her to play. Bobby and Vonnie's last goodbye in Central Park is also dully lit, and I wonder if Woody or KStew just got lazy or if it's all part of Woody's master plan. "A dream is just a dream," and their wistful romance, Vonnie's elite marriage, (and KStew's acting), are dimmed by the harsh light of reality.