Ian [Ewan McGregor] and Terry [Colin Farrell] are as close as brothers can be. Terry works in an auto-body shop and struggles with liquor and gambling. Ian is clean-cut, ambitious and aspires to make his own way in California with hotels. Life is good. They’ve bought a boat together. They’re falling in love. And they’re Uncle Howard is coming to town to visit with his family. They look forward to his visit as Howard is always willing to help his family with whatever they need and his favor can help them achieve their dreams.
Except this time Howard arrives in town and there is something on his mind and a favor to ask of them in return. Howard has gotten himself in trouble and a business partner has information that will make Howard’s life very difficult. Something has to be done and the favor he requests of his nephew’s carries the heaviest of weight and consequence with it.
Woody Allen’s screenplay is well written, balancing humor, honor and dismay. McGregor, Farrell and Tom Wilkinson as Uncle Howard turn in excellent performances. Allen’s script and direction also have an air of Hitchcockian rule to them as well. It is well shot and framed. Cassandra’s Dream is a neat and tidy thriller that is sure to please the Sunday evening cinema crowd. It is accessible and easy to follow. And for me that is the movie’s disappointment. While I surely liked it, Allen’s screenplay plays it safe from beginning to end, following conventions and never really challenging them. It’ll play well to the mature movie going crowd and demand nothing more of them but to sit back and enjoy the story as it unravels. Good but not great.
The trailer made this look like a pretty hard and rough Woody.
...hard and rough Woody = chortle,snort!