Celebrity (1998)

[Plain Old Tele]

Discuss.

[Jack Nevada]

Definitely one of Allen's weaker efforts, but not without its pleasures. 

 

Lets get the bad stuff out of the way first, my biggest issue being Kenneth Branagh's embarrassing lead performance. He is absolutely terrible trying to copy all Woody Allen's mannerisms, with disastrous end results. Something just feels extremely false about his performance and it makes for a thoroughly unlikable and shit character and a poor choice for the focus of the movie. Another issue is that I have no idea what the hell Woody Allen was trying to say about the nature of celebrity with this picture. As a satire its a miserable failure lacking any sting. The whole movie just kind of a collection of meaningless little stories with famous actors. 

 

Now.. I have to say that despite all that I was always looking forward to what happens next. I was sucked in from the first scene and even though around the hour mark Celebrity becomes tedious for a while rest of the time its consistently entertaining. I dont know what else to say, I was intrigued throughout. Celebrity is definitely a scattered mess but there's something oddly fascinating about it.

 

3/5