El precio del éxito

As Woody Allen is too old for the lead, Kenneth Branagh literally steps into his shoes and does such an effective job at playing Woody that he must have watched every Allen movie at least six times. The film is hilarious but deep--like his best films. It explores our obsession with celebrities and the media's obsession with them, and I wonder how much "acting" Leonardo DiCaprio did for this film. But the more I thought about it afterwards, the more I realized how sad the movie is at its core--the word "help" being written in the sky may be what Allen is thinking--is this what we have become? So obsessed with fortune and fame that we literally prostitute ourselves and become someone we aren't (i.e. Judy Davis' character)?

The movie seems more timely now than in 1998. Americans seem to be more interested in what Paris Hilton does on TV, or what J-Lo and Affleck are up to, than what's going on in the world. "Celebrity" nails it, and like Deconstructing Harry, does it in a rather vulgar manner. But you have to wonder how much of this is based on real events (again, I cite Di Caprio). This was the second movie (after 2 Days in the Valley) that made me aware of the statuesque beauty of Charlize Theron. I didn't think she could act worth a hoot (that opinion recently changed), but she sure looked like a rich runway model to me. This movie is one of my favorite Woody films of the '90s, and one of his most underrated. It's also visually beautiful, in black & white that recalls the photography of Manhattan.

With Bullets Over Broadway, Mighty Aphrodite and Everyone Says I love You, Woodie had strung together a number of very likable and quite funny films. With this and Deconstructing Harry he gets more serious. Too bad. This bilious mess could have used an editor. I think, because he can get so many big stars so easily, he writes too many characters into this film, without the spread-thin script being able to support all of them.

I must give Woody Allen credit for one thing: At least he seems to have stopped pretending that every gorgeous woman on earth is standing in line to throw herself at his protagonist. But what has he done instead? He has simply cast Kenneth Branagh in his place as a somewhat younger and more handsome substitute, but one who is, alas, no less frumpy, neurotic, unaccomplished and ultimately dislikable as Allen´s now-stock character has become in recent years. Really, watching Branagh imitate Allen to a "T" may be an interesting idea for a skit, but after about 25 minutes it is painful, and by the end of the film it is downright embarrassing. The Allen theme of "womanizer gets his comeuppance" is by now quite predictable, and this film does not deviate from it one bit. Some of the social satire is clever, as usual, but "Celebrity" ends up dying on the vine because of its wildly improbable insistence that nymphomaniac supermodels and barely-legal literary beauties cannot keep their hands off of a male protagonist who neither exhibits any sort of charisma nor has any kind of achievements to his credit. At least in many earlier Allen movies--and despite this and other recent efforts I am still a big fan of his work as a whole--there was a certain charm and allure to that one-note character of his. But merely inserting Kenneth Branagh to talk and act exactly like Woody Allen was definitely not the solution to the creativity problems which have plagued his films lately.

It is a witty, funny black film in which Kenneth B. plays the best "woody allen" of all times. The direction of photography is traditional compared with his last films.

An excellent satire of celebrities with more believable less neurotic characters than I expect from a woody allen movie. The subtle critics to catholics (instead of jews) are good for a change.

I would recommend this modern classic not only to woody's fans but to anyone who likes independent films.

Besides, the rabbis and skinheads being accidentally put together in a waiting room (and getting along) is something you won't see in anywhere else.

The problem with Woody Allen is that he has made great films, a lot, and that expectations for his work are always high. With 'Celebrity' it was not different and therefore it is a little disappointing. If another writer director would have made this film I think I would have liked it better. Maybe that is strange, to compare it with his other films simply happens.

In 'Celebrity' we follow Kenneth Branagh who plays Woody Allen, although he is named Lee Simon. A movie without Woody Allen himself is nice, but with a character that basically is Allen, why not play it yourself? On the other hand, Branagh does a terrific job. We see how Branagh divorces his wife and after that we have single episodes of his life where he meets women, tries to make them his, fails or succeeds, only to enter the next episode. At the same time we follow his ex-wife, Robin (Judy Davis), who meets a new man Tony (Joe Mantegna) and does settle.

Branagh is a writer. He writes a novel, has written two novels with bad reviews and now he finished a screenplay. In the episodes he tries to offer his script or new novel to people who can change it into a movie or book. We have Melanie Griffith and Leonardo DiCaprio as spoiled actors, Famke Janssen as a girl who really likes him and could help get his story into a book, Winona Ryder as the girl he has some real chemistry with and Charlize Theron as a supermodel.

The problem is that every episode feels like an episode instead of everything combined as a movie. The Theron and DiCaprio episodes are great, the Winona Ryder episode is sweet, the others are pretty standard. The intercuts of the ex-wife's life are pretty good as well, but still feel as single episodes.

Although the film as a whole is not that great there are enough moments to enjoy it. You will not be bored. The black and white photography looks terrific and that is something that makes the movie more pleasant. It is well acted and of course directed, but for a Woody Allen comedy it is not my first choice.