Melinda and Melinda

Two divergent and competing story lines feature smug, pretentious, rich New Yorkers vs....smug, pretentious, rich New Yorkers. Perhaps that wasn't the wisest choice. But this one has problems from the ground up. The movie presents a concept story, one that may have merit in its own right, but all concepts take place within a context, here that context really works against the tale(s). The Architectural Digest interiors, the profoundly elite lives and professions of the cast, the insular feel of the presented milieu--all are distracting and work to hamper the viewer's appreciation of the philosophical puzzle being put on display. Worse still, the stories have their own share of weaknesses: the dramatic events seems shallow and unimportant, the comedic turn comes across as bland, unfunny and lacking in true wit. Both threads suffer from weak, stilted writing, and feel artificial, flat, and too "inside" to appeal to most viewers. Top it all off with the violently unfunny Will Ferrell pretending to be Woody Allen--a tired act we've seen before, and done better by better actors--and the movie comes up short in every facet. This film would have been an inferior effort from a first timer; from writer/director Allen, it's a disaster.

Shattered Glass

So here you have it: another object lesson in why popular people suck. The movie certainly makes the case that journalist Stephen Glass was popular with his coworkers--until they found out he was lying about just about everything. The film presents a well-constructed story that starts plainly, then patiently peels away the layers to reveal how far back Glass's deceptions went. It leaves some wiggle room about why Glass did what he did, but while motivation remains obscure, the reality of the damage makes for more than enough compelling viewing. Good craft and fine performances total up to a compelling, at times riveting, film. Definitely one to see.