To Rome with Love (2012)

In my book, Woody Allen always has been, and still is, funny. I read critics who all the time talk about how one of his more recent films or other is “a return to form.” Critics referred to “Match Point,” and “Vicky Christina Barcelona,” and “Midnight in Paris” this way. How can every film be a return to form? Where’s the drop off? The earlier (and oft-overlooked) "Melinda & Melinda" is an example of a creative, funny, satirical, thought-provoking film, which was terrific, as well. Ditto "Hollywood Ending." In addition, over the last 20 years he's also made "Husbands and Wives," "Manhattan Murder Mystery," "Mighty Aphrodite," "Small Time Crooks," and "Sweet and Lowdown." Show me another director who's made that many entertaining pictures over the same time span. Incredibly, he's released at least a film (sometimes more) every year since 1977. Surely (don’t ever call me Shirley!) some of his films are better than others. What artist makes only masterpieces? But for my money, he’s never fallen off.

To Rome with Love continues this streak.

For one thing, it has Woody in front of the camera for the first time since 2006’s “Scoop.” It’s a welcome return. There are certain lines of his dialogue that are funnier simply for his having said them. His delivery is a perfect fit for his words. Though others (Will Ferrell, Kenneth Branagh, Larry David, etc…) have played the quintessential, nebbishy Allen lead role, there’s just something about hearing it delivered in Allen’s nasal New York drawl that’s more satisfying.

Allen plays Jerry, a music producer who describes himself charitably as being “ahead of his time.” He and his wife Phyllis (Judy Davis) fly to Rome, where their daughter Hayley (Allison Pill) has fallen in love with, and gotten engaged to, a local called Michelangelo. (Flavio Parenti).

During an awkward meeting with his future son-in-law’s parents, Jerry discovers Michelangelo’s father is a pitch-perfect opera singer. This is his chance at career redemption! Only the father-in-law can only sing confidently in the shower, natch.

In parallel story line, Alec Baldwin plays John, a successful architect, who once lived in Rome as a younger man. He clearly misses those carefree days. John plays a sort of conscience to Jesse Eisenberg’s “Jack,” a young architectural student studying in Rome, while living with his girlfriend Sally (Greta Gerwig). In Jack, John sees himself, twenty-five years prior. He’s eager to steer Jack clear of the mistakes he’s made, offering constant advice, especially when an eminently available and tempting actress friend of Sally’s (the emotionally-fragile “Monica,” played convincingly by Ellen Page) comes to visit.

Additionally, a young married couple Milly and Antonio (Alessandra Mastronardi and Alessandro Tiberi) are honeymooning in Rome. Things go disastrously wrong when Milly goes out for a haircut, and the voluptuous hooker Anna (Penelope Cruz) mistakenly walks into the wrong room.

Finally, there is a smaller story line involving Roberto Begnini’s “Leopoldo,” who suddenly and inexplicably becomes an incessantly-stalked celebrity, for doing absolutely nothing whatsoever.

If this sounds like a lot for one film to juggle, it is. Not all the storylines are cohesive. Certain of Allen’s musings could’ve better fit in another movie.

But no matter. This is an entertaining, amusing, enjoyable film. The characters are all animated, warm and likeable. Despite whatever preposterous predicaments they fall into, they all seem to share an underlying sense that, regardless, it will all turn out OK. Which is comforting and reassuring.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji captures the gorgeous backdrop of Rome, framing it an additional character in the film. In this way the movie plays on its title, as a sumptuous vacation postcard.

As for the dialogue, it’s as clever, funny and insightful as you’d expect from an Allen picture.

So what if this isn’t Annie Hall, or Manhattan? Not all Picassos' were Guernica, but they were still Picasso's.

PS- I wish Allen had stayed with the film’s admittedly erudite original title: “The Bop Decameron.” Though Plan C (“To Rome With Love”) is better than Plan B: “Nero Fiddled.”