To Rome With Love (2012) - Woody Allen

Using Rome as its backdrop, Woody Allen's To Rome With Love is an ensemble comedy taking place in, and celebrating one of the world's most enchanting cities.  The ensemble consists of a well-known American architect who returns to Rome to revisit his youth, an average middle class man who out of nowhere becomes a major celebrity, a young loving couple who are pulled in separate directions by romantic encounters, and a retired American whose work as a record producer is reinvigorated after meeting a mortician with a golden voice.  While Woody Allen's recent films pale I comparison to his early work, Midnight in Paris withstanding, To Rome With Love is a funny and charming
experience even if it doesn't have anything particularly profound or interesting to say.  There is a charm to this film that many of Allen's other recent films lack, with this sort of genuine feel of affection among the characters which hasn't been common in recent years.  All of the characters that make up this ensemble are interesting, and Allen does a superb job of casting,  particularly with Alec Baldwin and Roberto Benigni, who are pretty much perfect in their respective roles.  Obviously being an Allen film the story is at least unique and never generic, making it at least a nice way to burn two hours.  To Rome With Love is certainly a film that follows the recent trend of his late work being less profound but I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the experience.
7/10

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