Miami Rhapsody

David Frankel’s directorial debut, Miami Rhapsody follows Sarah Jessica Parker’s Gwyn Marcus as she becomes more and more wary of long-term monogamy after learning that virtually everyone in her life is having an affair – including her mother (Mia Farrow’s Nina), father (Paul Mazursky’s Vic), and brother (Kevin Pollak’s Jordan). It’s ultimately clear that Miami Rhapsody fares best in its early goings, as filmmaker Frankel has infused the proceedings with a breezy, Woody Allen-esque vibe that’s difficult to resist – with the movie’s raft of familiar faces generally acquitting themselves well to Frankel’s chatty screenplay. And while there’s certainly a great deal of truth to the film’s less-than-savory perspective on love and romance, Miami Rhapsody‘s relentlessly cynical perspective does become more and more exhausting as time progresses (ie nobody here, aside from the central character, has a positive perspective on the opposite sex). The film’s meandering atmosphere ensures that one’s interest does begin to flag substantially past a certain point, and there’s little doubt that Miami Rhapsody palpably fizzles out as it limps towards its far-from-engrossing final stretch – which is a shame, undoubtedly, given the potential afforded by both the premise and talented cast.

** out of ****