This is a film that probably should have been a theater piece instead. Woody Allen takes us to 1950’s Coney Island and this tragic drama following the intertwined lives of 4 people. Ginny (Kate Winslet) is a depressed, about to turn 40 manic former actress. Her marriage to a jazz drummer failed and she finds herself waitressing at Ruby’s Clam Shack, and re-married to a carnival roust-about Humpty (Jim Belushi) who collects tickets at the Wonder Wheel ferris wheel. He tries to say off the booze, but has been violent to his wife when he’s off the wagon. He reminded us of Jackie Gleason’s Honeymooners character with his loud voice and mannerisms.
Justin Timberlake takes on the role as the Woody Allen stand-in as Mickey Rubin, the 26 year old Coney Island lifeguard who aspires to a playwriting career. His New York accent wasn’t very good or consistent, but he’s likable in the role. Maybe in the interest of gaining life experience for his future scripts, Mickey easily seduces Ginny. He’s looking for a summer fling. She sees Mickey as her ticket out of Coney Island. It’s a very tenuous relationship.
Even though this is supposed to be a Coney Island on the verge of decline and shabbiness, Production Designer Santo Loquasto creates sets that are inviting and appealing. Humpty’s apartment is nestled behind the ferris wheel, yet it has an open, airy feel with lots of glass looking out on the beach and the colorful midway. The kitchen is designed so well it could be profiled in a style magazine. Add to that the colorful palette Cinematographer Vittorio Storaro chooses with lots of orange and warm summer hues with lush visual beauty in opposition to the cold, harsh dialogue.
Kate Winslet is the focal point of this tale. Allen gives her free range to go completely over the top with her characterization of a woman constantly on the the edge. And her New York accent is pretty good. Winslet’s intense portrayal of a woman desperately seeking affirmation that she’s more than a waitress is a little reminiscent of Elizabeth Taylor’s Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Ginny’s just not a likable character. You don’t really feel sad for her and it’s annoying hearing her always talking about her headaches. Winslet loved working with Woody Allen because of the freedom he gave her, particularly in the scene where she’s practicing in the mirror what she wants to make sure she says to Mickey.
Jim Belushi also forces his Humpty character with a screaming delivery that never feels organic. We never forgot for a moment that we were watching a guy working very hard at acting. It looked like he was about to punch a time clock every time he entered a scene.
Into this mix comes Humpty’s 26- year-old estranged daughter, Carolina (Juno Temple, Killer Joe). Humpty cut her off when she ran away and married a gangster, but she’s back on his doorstep 5 years later pleading for a safe haven. After squealing to the cops, the Mob put a contract on her head. Belushi says his favorite scene is walking into the apartment after fishing and seeing her there.
Justin Timberlake as the narrator/lover never finds a footing for his character, neither as the schemer or the smitten lothario when he encounters Juno Temple’s Carolina. He’s very stiff in the role, even when he’s supposed to be noticeably smitten. Carolina maintains a sweet innocence that wins over everyone except the jealous Ginny and the gangsters tracking her down. She’s in real trouble and she knows it.
Music is always integral to Woody Allen’s films and even though Wonder Wheel is set in the 1950’s Allen chooses music bridges between scenes that sound like 30’s Honky-Tonk even down to the static and pops that make it sound like the music is coming from an old record player. This choice was more confusing than illuminating.
Woody Allen is now 82 and this movie shows he hasn’t lost his zest for film making. He still wants to explore genres and styles. Funny story. This film had a tight budget and Winslet and Timberlake had back-to-back dressing rooms that were far from soundproof. She says she could even hear him peeing and jokingly told him to sing while relieving himself every morning.
Don’t look for many laughs here since this is a beachfront tragedy filled with drama. But perhaps Allen is showing showing his age. The actors all say that the director took a mostly hands off directing style for this film. Left to their own devices, the finished product feels like a lot of individual performances that don’t quite fit together. This Wonder Wheel needed the gears to mesh better than all of the grinding.
Amazon Studios 101 minutes PG-13
