By Chuck Stinson
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Will Ferrel, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Johhy Lee Miller, Amanda Peet
Release date: Out now
“Melinda and Melinda” is the latest DVD release from acclaimed director Woody Allen. Allen leads us through the life of troubled Melinda (Radha Mitchell, “Finding Neverland”), from two opposing points of view, one comic and the other tragic. This original concept bounces you back and forth from the depressing to the downright hilarious. As you switch between perspectives the emotion that you have been building up is suddenly chopped up and thrown in the opposite direction.
As in all Allen films, the neurotic lovable character that resembles the movie’s director is present. This cliched role is often played by Allen, but recently he has been handing the role over to other actors. Will Ferrell (“Old School”) stepped up and nailed the role, providing an interesting deviation from Allen’s worn-out act.
The cast worked well together, and in a sea of remakes and sequels it’s refreshing to see an original idea. However, the DVD release put all of the weight on the feature film, and the special features were nonexistent. Without special features, I wouldn’t recommend an actual purchase, but “Melinda and Melinda” makes an excellent rental.
