- A film that will be rediscovered by cinephiles in 20 years
- Beautiful opening shot of 1940’s Coney Island with extras in a wide shot
- Vittorio Storaro as cinematographer here and it’s breathtaking, the show after that wide shot opening of Juno Temple arriving in Coney Island entering under the wheel—a stunner—Storaro’s use of color throughout is spectacular
- Kate’s performance is solid as well- Temple does well but there’re the only two really- Kate’s is a bit of Blanche DuBois from Streetcar Named Desireor Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard but she doesn’t start that way fully—it comes off the rails—lots in common with Cate Blanchett’s tremendous work in Blue Jasmine as well
- More outstanding work from costume designer Suzy Benzinger (Café Society she was great as well) – you combine this with Storaro’s work and this is a very expressionistic mise-en-scene paired with some harsh drama (for sure bordering melodrama)—production designer from Radio Days and Bullets Over Broadway
- Jim Belushi is no Dany Aiello (Purple Rose of Cairo) sadly- he’s not bad but the role calls for more (it goes without saying he’s no Marlon Brando in Streetcar)- blue collar bowling, fishing, wife beater
- It does play like a play set—and that’s not a compliment—the actors repeat lines accidently and there should have been another take—“he’s a flashy cheap flashy hoodlum”
- Adore the gorgeous artificial lighting pouring into the bedroom from the wheel- blues and reds
- Songs repeated too often- a flaw of irrational man as well. Woody seems lazy here
- Beautiful set design with the red tables at the ice cream place
- Theater playing Winchester 73’ so we’re putting this at 1950
- Fantastic use of lighting in the car with Timberlake and Temple
- The depth of field at Winslet’s apartment—we have the bedroom shaded red, the living room blue, and the kitchen green—Storaro’s use of color from Coppola’s One from the Heart– Dick Tracy and yes even Apocalypse Now – One From the Heart is superior to this but it feels like the best comparison
- Very nice tracking shot when Winslet takes the drink and fully breaks down- captures the frazzled mentality
- The moral decision here mirrors Crimes and Misdemeanors– Match Point
- Near end final back and forth from outside their apartment through the windows with brackets- really well done- Renoir
- Recommend
@Drake-Don’t you think Wonder Wheel is a great companion piece to One From the Heart? And a case for Storaro the auteur? Both set in the showbiz. People looking for the American Dream(beaches, comfortable homes etc.). Excellent production design, expressionistic lighting etc. Even Juno Temple in Wonder Wheel looks like a reincarnation of Teri Garr from One From the Heart.
@Anderson- Interesting- I’ll have to check it out- I’m hoping to get to One from the Heart again before it leaves criterion at the end of the month. This feels like a stretch- but maybe not
@Drake-Have you seen any of Allen’s last 3 films? A Rainy Day in New York, Rifkin’s Festival, Coup de Chance. All photographed by Vittorio Storaro.
@Lionel – Yes on Rainy Day – not yet on the other two
@Drake-Do you think Recommend is the limit for Wonder Wheel? It’s stunning. There is also a great frame split in half near the end of the film where Kate is in the lighted room and Belushi is in the naturally lighted main part of the house arguing with each other. I thought Timberlake wasn’t bad at all but felt the 4th wall breaking scenes with him in the film telling his feelings were a big weakness in the film.
@Anderson- I wouldn’t say that- I think there’s more upside there with closer study and another watch. What do you think?
@Drake-Yeah. It’s stunning, isn’t it? I thought Kate was great as well. Probably her best performance in the last 15 years. Temple was very good as well. There is a great back and forth with them with the colours changing from blue to orange and vice-versa. Probably the best scene in the film. There are at least a couple of scenes split in half by a window showing the isolation of characters. One with Kate and her son earlier in the film and then another near the finale with Kate and Belushi arguing in differently lit rooms which is quite stunning
There were some good camera movements too. There is like a very real time argument after Kate comes home after meeting Timberlake on his birthday. Lot of camera movements in that scene. There is also the Temple disappearing scene with the camera closing in on her. Some dissolves are used here as well throughout the film. My only real problem with it was the Timberlake 4th wall breaking scenes. It’s a bad choice imo and not only that it hurts his performance as well because he tells all his feelings to the audience not show them with his scenes as a character in the film. And maybe Jim Belushi. But I hate to pick on him. He is trying. He is probably like 10 years too old for the role as well