Rebounding from the well-played but uninspired Cassandra’s Dream, VCB is a gem of a film for a very small audience. . . the very small percentage of filmgoers out there who like spending time in Woody Allen’s crypto 1950s-lensed view of youth and affluence.
The plot of VCB hardly exists and its representation of reality (women swoon over Europeans!) is an embarrassing fossil. And yet, find one moment of this film that isn’t an absolute joy to watch? I love watching people drink wine and speak in dated psychological phraseology!
There’s that great line Randy Newman had about the “redneck” and Lester Maddox: he may be a fool but he’s our fool. Another one of Woody’s preposterous films is like spending time with family. One of the great joys of summer 2008.
