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Even at the ripe old age of 78, Woody Allen is still one of the most prolific filmmakers in Hollywood, consistently cranking out a new film every year. Some (like 2011’s Midnight in Paris) are unforgettable. Some (like 2012’s To Rome with Love, you’d rather not remember. And some, like Magic in the Moonlight, just miss the mark.
Magic in the Moonlight travels back to the 1920s for a battle of wits between a pretty young medium and the man who’s determined to prove that she’s a fraud. Stanley (Colin Firth) is a successful magician who believes that there’s a rational explanation for everything—and he’s made it his mission to expose the charlatans who prey on the simple-minded people who believe in them. So when his old friend, Howard Burkan (Simon McBurney), tells him about Sophie Baker (Emma Stone), a young American woman who’s latched onto a wealthy family in the South of France, Stanley cancels his vacation plans to meet her—and discredit her.
When Stanley meets Sophie, though, he can’t find a single flaw—and he begins to wonder whether his rational thinking has been wrong all along.
Magic in the Moonlight has everything it takes to make a remarkable rom-com. The setting is both romantic and nostalgic, mixing the luxurious seaside scenery with the music and fashion of the ‘20s to paint a stylish and playful backdrop. Allen works well within this time period, and everything about it feels charming and authentic and just plain fun. The writing, meanwhile, is sharp and witty, with a smart sense of humor that might sometimes catch you off guard. And the cast seems perfect—from Firth as the sarcastic skeptic and Stone as the alluring young mystic to supporting cast members like Hamish Linklater, who’s outrageously funny as the shallow but smitten Brice, who serenades Sophie with his ukulele.
Unfortunately, however, despite having all the right pieces at his disposal, Allen can’t seem to put them all together to produce a noteworthy film. The greatest problem, it seems, is that the cast just doesn’t mix. Stone is less than half Firth’s age, and they both appear to be just as uncomfortable with the pairing as audiences will be. Even on their own, though, they seem completely out of their element. Firth is a charming star—and a talented actor—but he isn’t the right fit for a Woody Allen film. He doesn’t have the right rhythm—the right pacing—and it isn’t until the end of the film that he finally seems to get the hang of it, offering just a glimpse of what the film could have been, had the cast been given a little more time to settle into their parts. Stone, too, feels uneasy in her role—and instead of cool and clever and understated, she generally comes off as awkward and overdone.
Magic in the Moonlight is a film with a whole lot of potential: a smart script, a beautiful setting, a lovable cast, and Allen’s chatty signature style. But its moments of charm are mixed with moments of awkwardness, making it a clever but clumsy comedy.
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