Movie #647 ........................."To Rome with Love"

Movie #647 "To Rome with Love" is not one of Woody Allen's finest, to be sure. It's esp. disappointing coming from one of his best last year, "Midnight in Paris." What makes it not as good? Well, it isn't the way he films Rome ---- it's all there, Trevia Fountain, the Piazzas, Spanish Steps, Colliseum, the ruins, etc. There ARE a few laughs, but they are few and far between. His casting is okay ----- some are better than others. I think you have to be able to write just for Alec Baldwin to get him to do anything, and his character was in and out and never fully explained...........Jesse Eisenberg is a Michael Cera ("Juno" boyfriend) lookalike, so with Page in the lead in both movies, it seemed she was in love with the same guy in both movies --- she's very good and demands attention, as does Penelope Cruz, and the young honeymooner (who looks like a young Susan Sarandon) ---- the rest seem out of place, including Woody, who cast himself as the father of Allison Pill (she's great) --- he looks way too old, and the jokes seem forced. I enjoyed Roberto Benini ----- it's nice to see him in a movie again after "Life is Beautiful," one of my very favorite films. But I guess the major reason is that the screenplay had little substance ---- it had all these stories, but they never merged --- even a little ---- and they didn't seem to have a big reason behind them, unless I missed it. Theme was weak here, and usually Allen has that work, so that's why I'm saying you don't need to see this one really. Unless you are a big Woody Allen fan-----then, you might find it enjoyable in parts. I give it 3 out of 5 stars To Rome with Love (2012) R Woody Allen plays a father meeting his daughter's Italian in-laws to-be in this ensemble comedy that interweaves four tales set in Rome. Other cast members include Roberto Benigni as a man mistaken for a film star. Genre:Comedies This movie is:Witty