Melinda and Melinda (2004)

This movie is Closer if it was done by Woody Allen, just not funny because he was phoning in the script. The ensemble cast is competent enough for their roles and the dialogue is right chatty patter, but it sometimes feels stilted, rarely makes an emotional connection, and ultimately fails to reach a satisfying conclusion. Will Farrell for once gives up playing the oafish boob and half-decently plays a boobish oaf. Radha Mitchell does a nice job playing the two parallel-tale Melindas -- the neurotically self-destructive "tragic Melinda" and the mending, hopeful "comedy Melinda." (Comedy is far too strong a word for this script on Prozac, however. Let me put it this way: Steve Carell has a small part and it's straight -- not even he is funny! Only one line in the entire production elicited a chuckle from me or my viewing partner, and only two other lines nearly made me think about approximating a chuckle -- but then I gave up and moved on. I think one of the lines, when Farrell is dancing with a scoop-chested Republican who resembles the woman in "the big O" Overstock.com commercials -- I won't say whether it is a dream sequence because that would be a spoiler -- went like this: "I'd hate to see us kept apart by a tax cut.") In the end, I got lost between all the characters and counterpointing story lines because I just didn't care about them that much -- even after skimming through the film a second time the morning after. It's a tasty enough cinematic meal, just not particularly satisfying -- or memorable (esp. when you consider what Woody Allen is capable of doing). Three stars.