Seen on: January 3, 2008

The players: Director: Woody Allen, Writer: Woody Allen, Cast: Colin Farrell, Ewan McGregor, Tom Wilkinson, Hayley Atwell, Sally Hawkins

Facts of interest: Philip Glass composed the score for the film.

The plot: Two brothers turn to crime to get rid of their debts.

Our quick thoughts: Woody Allen is alive and kicking, and he’s still releasing a new film every year. “Cassandra’s Dream,” a tale about two brothers turning to murder to fulfill their dreams, is not Woody’s best in recent history, but it’s captivating enough to be seen in theatres. The film carries a similar tone and moral as the far superior “Match Point,” enlightening its viewers about the inevitable consequences of violence and crime. Much of this is not exactly new, but the film is entertaining and suspenseful enough to keep audiences curious for the whole 105 minutes.

Although the film makes a rather banal social commentary, it provides solid character development in return. The twists are not as fascinating as in most Woody Allen flicks, but the film as a whole offers a compelling portrait of two siblings succumbing to madness after committing a serious crime.

Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor deliver excellent performances as family boys, and they work together in perfect harmony. Especially Farrell offers a solid performance as the mentally weaker one who drowns in guilt, losing touch with reality and threatening to break the silence. Also starring is Tom Wilkinson, who’s powerful acting as the brothers’ uncle largely contributes to the film’s overall success.

Freaky quote: "Family is family. Blood is blood." - Tom Wilkinson

The final word: Woody Allen fans will certainly appreciate this little English film, although they will likely agree that it’s not his best. All in all, “Cassandra’s Dream” is entertaining enough and well worth the price of admission. Woody’s next flick “Vicky Christina Barcelona” is already completed, and I’m sure we all can’t wait to see it early next year.