Miami rhapsodie

Sarah Jessica Parker is a young, female version of Woody Allen. That's pretty much what you get with this movie. Everyone was criticizing Kenneth Branagh (and John Cusack, to a lesser degree) when they did their Woody impersonations in Celebrity and Bullets Over Broadway. But no one seemed to mind when Parker did it in this movie, which Woody Allen had no link to even though it feels that way. Add Mia Farrow to the mix, and the clone is perfected (nevermind the fact that Mia and Woody were estranged when this was made). I found a few funny moments and lines (the business with the monkeys and Parker's reaction to them is memorable, but again totally out of the Woody school). But in the end this is a second-rate Woody Allen film, best suited for rainy days when there is nothing else to watch and you stumble upon this on cable TV.

I always have used viewer comments and user ratings as guides to what I want to see with near 100% success, but luckily did not rely on the rating and some of the flame comments that this flick received.

The soundtrack is excellent, the mood is Miami, the Allenesque milieu is perfect for those attracted to it and not limited to urban New York backdrops for its appreciation.

Sarah Jessica Parker is outstanding, Banderas sends himself up perfectly as does Mia Farrow. Other supporting cast is very strong, script is well-written and sparkles in places. I can only attribute the relatively low rating to those that don't like Woody Allen movies; they surely would not like this.

"Miami Rhapsody" is a conversational light-hearted chick flick with Parker at the vortex of a Miami's family's many relationships. The film focuses on the Parker character's musings, contemplations, reflections, and conclusions in an easy going, unpretentious, gentle, and lively way. A must see for Sarah Jessica Parker fans and an enjoyable low cal flick for all others.

Gwyn and Matt have finally gotten engaged and it looks like she will get what she wanted - a happy marriage just like the rest of her family. However as she looks around with clear eyes she realises that all her family are involved in bad marriages and affairs. As a result she begins to get cold feet, worried the same will happen to her.

From the style and music of the opening credits right through to the to-camera conclusion that mirrors the `need the eggs', this film is like a tropical version of Annie Hall with a female playing the Woody Allen role! Even if it is not a total mirror, it is impossible to watch this film without seeing Allen's influence all over it. So immediately large sections of the audience will want to turn off, however I love Allen so am happy to give this a shot on that basis alone. As a film, it's plot is just a collection of messy relationship through which Carrie, sorry, Gwyn learns lessons. It isn't substance rich but that's the point - instead it is quick and rather witty, never sitting still for very long but being quite fun with it.

The cast also helps as they do some very fun turns despite some weaknesses. Parker is good and her New York personae certainly seems to fit the material. Bellows is rather bland for the role but there are some great little bits from Banderas, Farrow and Mazursky. It's always good to see Pollack and Piven but Campbell demonstrates why she hasn't moved into a successful film career by reading her lines with all the emotion of iron (although she looked great in the beach-shoot scene).

Overall this is a fun little film that is quite slick if you are a fan of Woody Allen's relationship neurosis films. If you're not then you'll probably do well to avoid this film.

Thin, but enjoyable romp from writer-director David Frankel involves a young, unmarried Jewish woman and her married family and friends--all of whom seem to be miserable and cheating on each other. Ersatz Woody Allen, as it aspires to be, but not quite on the level of, say, "Hannah and Her Sisters". Odd to see Mia Farrow here (playing Sarah Jessica Parker's mother), as this is basically a retread of the work she was doing with Allen earlier in the decade. Parker is infectious, rattling off the sometimes-precious lines with professional aplomb. The supporting cast including Antonio Banderas and Kevin Pollack is lively, yet this tale doesn't have much of a point--and as a film it has no motivation beyond aping Allen. **1/2 from ****