Cassandra’s Dream

Were it not for the inclusion of a third act that just seems to go on and on, Cassandra’s Dream would undoubtedly rank among Woody Allen’s best films – as it is, more often than not, an exceedingly well acted and sporadically electrifying little thriller. The movie casts Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor as close-knit siblings Terry and Ian, and follows the pair as they find themselves in a whole mess of trouble after their wealthy uncle (Tom Wilkinson’s Howard) makes a rather sinister request. It takes an awfully long time for the mysterious elements to kick in, however, as Allen spends much of Cassandra’s Dream‘s first half focused on the relationship between Terry and Ian. And because the filmmaker does such an effective job of capturing the inherent camaraderie between the brothers, there’s little doubt that the movie is at its best during low-key sequences in which the two characters are just chatting and hanging out (ie there’s an authenticity to such moments that’s nothing short of remarkable). That being said, there’s certainly no denying that the film’s initial transformation into a thriller is exceedingly well done – with an absolutely riveting sequence in which Wilkinson’s Howard lays out his request an obvious highlight. But Allen doesn’t quite know when to stop; Cassandra’s Dream is consequently longer than it needs to be, though, before it reaches that point, the movie comes off as one of Allen’s most engaging efforts in years.

*** out of ****