A group of friends in a New York City bistro are having a
philosophical discussion about whether or not life is truly a comedy or a
tragedy. Two of the participants in the discussion are playwrights on the
opposite ends of the spectrum: one is a writer of fluffy comedies, while the
other writes tragic dramas. One of the other diners tells a true story about a
woman named Melinda who disrupts a dinner party. When he finishes his
story--which is never revealed to the viewer--the two playwrights see the story
through their own filters, in the subject matter of what they write. And so
writer/director Woody Allen treats us to two different takes about a woman named
Melinda. Played by Radha Mitchell, Melinda is the spark that sets off a comedy
with Amanda Peet and Will Ferrell, and a drama with Chloë Sevigny and Jonny Lee
Miller. Allen, who does not star in this film, has both stories running at the
same time, which sounds like it might be very confusing. But as we bounce back
and forth between the cute comedy and the angst-filled drama, it quickly becomes
easy to keep track of both stories, thanks to the marvelous performances--not
the least of which is the superb performance given by Radha Mitchell.
Melinda And Melinda is a major showcase for the Australian actress, who
effortlessly creates two completely different characters within the separate
stories. In the comedy, Mitchell’s Melinda is a cute, klutzy ingénue whom you
root for, while in the drama her Melinda is a damaged woman with a dark past
whom you feel sympathy for. The Melinda in both versions tries hard to fix her
life with varying results. Chloë Sevigny is also superb as Melinda’s close
friend Laurel in the drama, and Will Ferrell is perfectly cast as the married
man who falls for Melinda. Other standouts
in the cast include Amanda Peet as Ferrell’s perkily ambitious wife in the
comedic story, Wallace Shawn as the comedic playwright in the beginning, and
Chiwetel Ejiofor as Melinda’s boyfriend in the dramatic story. The film is
presented in either full or wide screen on the flipper DVD, with nary a single
special feature--yet the movie itself, with it’s splendid cast and intelligent
script, is still well-worth owning. --SF
Main Review Page | Comedy Page |Email Me |Buy This DVD Right Here!