Wonder Wheel is the latest film written and directed by Woody Allen. It also appears to be the latest attempt by Amazon Studios to create some Oscar buzz. Following the success of Manchester by the Sea last year, Amazon produced two films this year that appeared to me to be "Oscar bait." This film and Wonderstruck which was released in October. Wonder Wheel is a swing and a miss. Wonderstruck was only marginally better.
Carolina (Juno Temple) is estranged from her father, Humpty (Jim Belushi). Five years ago, she ran away with a mobster in defiance of her mother's last wish. Humpty needed Carolina to ease his grief when her mother passed. Instead, he found solace in the arms of Ginny (Kate Winslett). Ginny cheated on her husband, causing him to walk out on her and her young son (Jack Gore). Humpty and Ginny became co-dependent spouses with a tenuous relationship. When Carolina arrives home, wanted by the mob for snitching, the delicate household balance is thrown into chaos. When Carolina starts dating lifeguard Mickey (Justin Timberlake), who is having an affair with Ginny, the balance is thrown into further disarray. The relationships and introspection won't necessarily equate to a happy ending.
As a story, Wonder Wheel is more character study than plot. Typical of Woody Allen, the film is more interested in what drives and motivates characters than with a narrative arc that reaches a natural climax or tidy ending. The problem with this film really lies in the failure of the characters to matter much. The characters certainly have depth, and the dialogue is sharply written, but the story was trying to be a sweetheart kiss to Broadway and missed something in the process. The film tried to hard to be cute and came off as gimmicky to me.
Allen partnered with cinematographer Vittorio Storaro on this film. They previously worked together on dozens of films. On this film, they chose to give the film a look that was decidedly Broadway. Storaro used weird lighting and close up shots to give the film a weird look that was more distracting than artistic. I think he was attempting to mimic the use of lighting on Broadway to highlight a character and inject a certain mood. It didn't work for me. The characters also delivered their dialogue with a weird projection that also mimicked a stage performance. I was reminded of the movie Fences. I didn't like that one either.
It seems Wonder Wheel didn't know what it wanted to be. It was a character study with characters that didn't matter. They didn't even matter to the writer, who willingly cast them off. A kid who sets fires and has no real place in the film. A protagonist who is expendable. I just didn't get it. The overall look of the film was good. The recreation of Coney Island, the sets, the costumes. It had a good appearance. Then the lighting and inflection were so affected that it drained away what little enjoyment I found in this film. I actually believed I was going to like this film. I don't care much for Woody Allen, but have loved a couple of his film. My favorite being Midnight in Paris. I thought this film might capture some of that vibe. No dice.
One other thing nagged at me in this film. Jim Belushi. Belushi has a defined Chicago accent. Casting Belushi as a New Yorker didn't make much sense to me. At least he didn't try to fake it. His accent was his own, so there weren't inconsistencies. It just seemed out of place. Other than that, the performances were the highlight of this film. Timberlake and Winslet seemed like a believable match. The tension that the actors created helped break up the monotony of the film.
Wonder Wheel runs one hour and 41 minutes. The film is rated PG-13 by the MPAA. The film didn't have any nudity, but there were sexual themes and situations. The film contained drinking, smoking, arson and language as well. The PG-13 rating seems about right. Teenagers and maybe even tweens should be fine for this film. The sluggish pacing will probably bore them to death, but the content won't be too offensive.
I hate to trash a film that had redeeming qualities. But I think the fact that the characters in this film didn't connect like they should have really hurt this film. If you aren't going to have a strong plot, you have to have strong characters. This film had neither. It looked good at times and distracting at others. The pacing was sluggish. The costumes and sets looked good. I don't know. I just don't think I can recommend this film. I am going to be objective and give the film an even 5/10. If you are a Woody Allen fan, you will probably love it. Otherwise, it will likely be forgettable.