Magic in the Moonlight is whimsical, scenic

Woody Allen’s recently released film, “Magic in the Moonlight” builds up a world filled with the mystical and supernatural, engulfing the audience in quiet admiration. Set in the late 1920s of the roaring Jazz Age, with the landscape of Western Europe as its backdrop, Allen’s new romantic comedy takes audience members on a light, somewhat nonsensical journey interspersed with flairs of magic. Colin Firth takes on the role of a typical arrogant male protagonist, Stanley Crawford. A world-renowned British magician, Stanley performs on stage disguised as a Chinese illusionist, accomplishing tricks ranging from making elephants disappear to transporting himself from one side of the room to the other. Despite his magical career on stage, he is in reality a deep-rooted skeptic, believing only in the rational, realistic and scientific aspects of the world. In the film, Stanley is asked by long-time friend and fellow magician, Howard Burkan (Simon McBurney), to help unmask a fraudulent con artist who has been using her tricks to win over the wealthy Catledge family. Emma Stone plays Sophie Baker, the supposed con artist Firth sets out to expose. With her large, innocent eyes and inherently cheerful disposition, she takes Firth for a spin, causing him to doubt everything he once considered true. In the clever banter of wits that ensues, Stanley and Sophie learn more about love, themselves and the world they inhabit. The greatest strength of the movie lies in the harmony of the cinematography and soundtrack. The camera angles are shot in a way that captures the essential beauty of the setting around the characters. Many scenes are devoted to displaying wide-angle shots of the scenery, such as the coast of Southern France or the buildings of Berlin. The light, airy music that complements these scenes further enhances the film, making it enjoyable not only for the eyes but also the ears. The two protagonists do a splendid job of fully engaging the audience. Although there isn’t necessarily a sizzling on-screen chemistry between the two, Stone and Firth individually complete their characters, and the dialogue between them strikes a perfect balance between intellectual debate and humor. The role of the haughty, aloof male protagonist is very familiar ground for Firth, and his role in this film does not deviate from the expectations set by his previous work. Stone was able to pull her role off quite well even though she has not played a similar part in the past. While she may have seemed awkward at times, this awkwardness was intentional and ultimately made the viewing experience all the more enjoyable. Despite these positive aspects, the film did fall short in certain regards. Its biggest disadvantage was its slow pace and clichéd plot line, which failed to engross the viewer. The plot was too obvious, at times even flat, and even the plot twist was anticipated. Due to the lack of newness and freshness, the film did not provide as complete an experience as it could have. The film’s criticisms are particularly obvious because Magic in the Moonlight is inevitably placed in comparison to Allen’s other works, some of which have been truly extraordinary. His previous films such as Midnight in Paris, To Rome With Love and Manhattan fall under the similar romantic comedy category but have a greater appeal. Some critics, including Roger Ebert, have dubbed the film as charming but find that it treads on too familiar ground. They maintain that it seems created “out of habit” and is a piece of work that could precede a truly great masterpiece, although it is not one in itself. A member in the audience, who happens to be a film studies major at Johns Hopkins University, said that while the film was entertaining and visually pleasurable, it was a little too light and comical, lacking overall depth. Magic in the Moonlight is a fun romantic comedy that will put a sweet taste in your mouth, and it is strongly recommended for those who wish to spend an evening enjoying beautiful cinematography paired with a wonderful soundtrack and two leading actors who steal the show. The film will be playing at the Charles Theatre until Sept. 11.