Celebrity (1998)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

20 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A funny look at people who will do anything to get famous... or stay famous.

Plot:

The fortunes of a husband and wife differ drastically after they divorce.

Plot Keywords:

Celebrity | Journalist | TV Producer | Actress | Ensemble Film

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Greg Mottola	...	Director
Jeff Mazzola	...	Assistant Director
Dick Mingalone	...	Camera Operator
Vladimir Bibic	...	Director of Photography
Melanie Griffith	...	Nicole Oliver
Francisco Quidjada	...	Erno Delucca
Aleksa Palladino	...	Production Assistant
Dan Moran	...	Jackhammer Operator
Peter Castellotti	...	Sound Recordist (as Pete Castellotti)
A. Lee Morris	...	Second Assistant Cameraperson
Douglas McGrath	...	Bill Gaines
Kenneth Branagh	...	Lee Simon
Maurice Sonnenberg	...	Dalton Freed
Winona Ryder	...	Nola
Craig Ulmschneider	...	Daniel - Production Assistant

Also Known As:

Woody Allen Fall Project 1997 (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sex and some drug use.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (Mono)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Singapore:R(A) (cut) | Netherlands:12 | Brazil:18 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Barbetta Restaurant - 321 W. 46th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Sweetland Films

Trivia:

In the scene where Leonardo DiCaprio and Kenneth Branagh are watching a boxing match, magician David Blaine can be seen sitting behind them. Blaine was on the set visiting DiCaprio that day and they put him in at the last minute.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Robin visits the hooker, the crew and equipment are both reflected in a window as the two women go out onto the patio.

Quotes:

Souvenir Hawker: They're all genuine ceramic, and we got this rubber bulb here, you squeeze this, fill it with some washable red vegetable dye, give it a squeeze, you can make his wounds bleed. Watch in the back, there. Isn't that something?

Movie Connections:

References The Godfather (1972)

Soundtrack:

Symphony No.5 in C Minor, Op.67

Not bad, not great either

The problem with Woody Allen is that he has made great films, a lot, and that expectations for his work are always high. With 'Celebrity' it was not different and therefore it is a little disappointing. If another writer director would have made this film I think I would have liked it better. Maybe that is strange, to compare it with his other films simply happens.

In 'Celebrity' we follow Kenneth Branagh who plays Woody Allen, although he is named Lee Simon. A movie without Woody Allen himself is nice, but with a character that basically is Allen, why not play it yourself? On the other hand, Branagh does a terrific job. We see how Branagh divorces his wife and after that we have single episodes of his life where he meets women, tries to make them his, fails or succeeds, only to enter the next episode. At the same time we follow his ex-wife, Robin (Judy Davis), who meets a new man Tony (Joe Mantegna) and does settle.

Branagh is a writer. He writes a novel, has written two novels with bad reviews and now he finished a screenplay. In the episodes he tries to offer his script or new novel to people who can change it into a movie or book. We have Melanie Griffith and Leonardo DiCaprio as spoiled actors, Famke Janssen as a girl who really likes him and could help get his story into a book, Winona Ryder as the girl he has some real chemistry with and Charlize Theron as a supermodel.

The problem is that every episode feels like an episode instead of everything combined as a movie. The Theron and DiCaprio episodes are great, the Winona Ryder episode is sweet, the others are pretty standard. The intercuts of the ex-wife's life are pretty good as well, but still feel as single episodes.

Although the film as a whole is not that great there are enough moments to enjoy it. You will not be bored. The black and white photography looks terrific and that is something that makes the movie more pleasant. It is well acted and of course directed, but for a Woody Allen comedy it is not my first choice.