Woody Allen gives a tour of Woody Allenland, complete with gentle and largely unnecessary narration. Unnecessary for the movie, that is. But it’s just possible that this is something else: a primer of sorts, a re-introduction of the old guy’s schtick to a generation that’s only ever read about him in the tabloids. It’s all here: older men and younger women. The glamour and grime of Old Hollywood showbiz. Los Angeles vs. New York. Being Jewish, both religious and otherwise. Being intellectual (“Socrates said the unexamined life is not worth living. But the examined life is no bargain”). Being good (or bad). The dubious possibility of getting what you want and holding on to your soul in the process. The sadness at the heart of life. The story concerns a young man (Jesse Eisenberg) setting out to make a life, and the girl (Kristen Stewart) he finds himself living for. It’s handsome, and pleasant, and polished, and sedate. You won’t laugh or cry. You may, however, smile or sigh. (2016) — Matthew Lickona
This movie is not currently in theaters.