Reviews

I can see why a lot of people disliked this film, but I think that reaction was a result of taking it the wrong way. This seems to me, while sloppy at times,to be a semi-satire of Kafka (particulary The Trial) and Beckett. Woody deals with familiar themes, which are not always particulary compelling ("Oh God! What's the meaning of life?"), but the existential angst and concern with illusion are amusing, and the ending is quite clever.

If Allen had chose not to use so many well-known actors, I think the film would have been more received. The Mia Farrow role may have been unneeded, but the Prostitutes tie in well to the theme (though somewhat repetitious of Allen's other work). The actors that were "wasted" were used enough, if not too much. If Allen would have dispensed with some of the dialogue (particularly at the table in the whorehouse, and some of the ill-suited humor, this could have been a more compelling film. But even as it stands, it is entertaining, intriguing, and intelligent..

Although EYES WIDE SHUT does present some compelling moments, it finds itself divided into two films, which are supposedly meant to set up the contrast between sexual fantasy and reality, and what exactly drives the characters to their individual ends. Cruise's experiences, which seem to explore his sexuality only to a minimal degree, are interesting in their own right,and perhaps would have made for a better film.

Cruise's character, driven to pursuit of sexual adventure brought on by his wife's "revelations", seems to discover little about himself, and rather, he is exposed to the perverse sexuality of others. How the events that follow relate to his relationship is questionable, and I felt a bit disappointed when the "thriller" aspect of the film was ultimately dropped, rather anti-climactically

It seems to me that thematically, Kubrick has some definite ideas, but trying hard to make them entertaining (and perhaps shocking), he wastes time that could have been spent on a more thoughtful interplay between Cruise and Kidman.. maybe I just took it the wrong way, but my initial impression regarding this film is a negative one...

This film, while rather amusing in some parts, is more or less a drama. Allen seems to have become more accepting of the "love fades" theme first presented in ANNIE HALL, and his characters seem to be a reflection of this maturity. The concepts of what love and marriage mean are dealt with in depth here, and there are no clear answers, of course. This provokes thought without being too sure of itself (who would expect that from Woody?)and provides a thoughtful examination of what makes love begin and last..or not.

Being a reader of Henry Miller's work, I was somewhat disappointed that this film did not concentrate more on his character. Rather, it seems to center on Anais Nin's sexual "awakening", which to me, seemed to be portrayed in a rather naive fashion. The characters of Anais and Henry (as shown in the film)seem selfish and immature, and driven only by excessive sexual interest, which I suppose is part of the appeal. The film fails to focus on the characters enough for me to have a great deal of understanding about any of them, so I would put the script (which tends to favor sex over substance) at fault.