This film ranks among the worst in Woody Allen's filmography. There are lots of things wrong with it. Casting, usually a strong-point in his films, is way off the mark. Jesse Eisenberg is the latest in a string of stand-ins for the Woody Allen part and he's as bad as Jason Biggs in "Anything Else." Besides weak acting skills he lacks the charisma to carry a film. After this second go-round with Allen (he appeared in "To Rome, With Love") let's hope he doesn't become an Allen regular. Kristen Stewart fares somewhat better, though she lacks the ditzy quality that Louise Lasser/Diane Keaton/Mia Farrow conveyed so well. Steve Carell overplays his part. It doesn't help that the characters are all so unlikeable. Allen's depiction of Jews here is not only unflattering but downright offensive. The effort to make this a seriocomic morality tale doesn't work. The jokes fall flat and the message is muddled. The whole thing left a sour taste.
Review of Café Society
