Rifkin's Festival

It isn't a great film, but I enjoyed spending time watching Wallace Shawn reciting Woody Allen's genius words about the meaning of life, the pretentiousness of art and the adrenaline of new love. Allen rarely disappoints... and this late-life crisis hits most of the classic notes.

I enjoyed this film. Allen speaks through Wallace Shaun whose character says he was happiest at being a film teacher. His respect and love of classical European film directors come face to face with today's and he finds today's lacking. One of my favorite scenes from Breathless is shown. Some scenes are hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud. Something I haven't done in a while. In particular, Louis Garrel character as a contemporary film director finds himself being interviewed at the festival by journalists and then the bongo drum scene. The San Sebastián location is magnificent. Lot of references to Paris and New York. When he says there's nothing like walking down Boulevard Saint-Michel in the rain - you know what he means.

A tribute to cinema, existentialism and Woody Allen's career.

Great story, great lines, great directing but I think casting wasn't good enough. We all know that after the allegations against Woody Allen (and I have no doubt of his innocence) casting would be a little hard to do.

Wallace Shaun isn't cogent being a couple with Gina Gershon, but he's delivered a good interpretation.

At the end, is a clear tribute to Bergman, with some points of Godard, Truffaut and Woody Allen's career.

Possibly more clever than outrightly funny, Woody Allen's charming RIFKIN'S FESTIVAL stars Wallace Shawn as a geeky film studies teacher who's attending the San Sebastian Film Festival with his wife (Gina Gershon), who's a publicist. As in his STARDUST MEMORIES, Allen shows he has little interest in box office, press conferences, fake glitz, and the self-anointed.

While Shawn trudges around the festival which promotes, in his opinion, garbage, he re-casts the situations in which he finds himself in scenes from his favorite films (but with the actors in this film). So we see these 4:3 B&W inserts of films by Truffaut, Bergman, Bunuel, Godard, Fellini, and a funny CITIZEN KANE bit.

Oy vey! Not as star studded as in days of yore, but some familiar faces show up, including Christoph Waltz as Death, Steve Guttenberg and Tammy Blanchard as Rifkin's brother and his wife, Richard Kind as Rifkin's father. We also get Elena Anaya as the doctor, Louis Garrel as the "star," and Douglas McGrath as Gil.

And Wallace Shawn does well as Woody's alter-ego, but he can't deliver a line or a joke with Woody's aplomb.

As we get older and love doesn't seem to be enough and life is actually - quite simply inbalanced and almost artificial - watching Woody Allen movies brings life to the relatable and makes you laugh at the ridiculous of human behavior. Especially the fantasies of grandeur, - the intimacy between professor and the student or plumber and plumbers assistant, what have you, Rifkins Festival still plays at the comedy of the desperation and the fear to become stagnant.

Well shot. Good speed. Bold choice in actor, but the chemistry between authenticity and subtly feels balanced throughout.

Don't watch it expecting an Oscar. Watch it to enjoy cinema again. The movie also tells you that.