(1988)
2.5
Keith Phipps
Part of the same Ingmar Bergman phase that yielded 1989's Crimes and Misdemeanors, Woody Allen's Another Woman suffers considerably in comparison to its successor. Where Crimes would temper Allen's Bergman homage with material distinctively his own, Woman works only as a Bergman knock-off, and not particularly well at that. Here Allen never quite masters Bergman's ability to handle overt symbolism with a delicate touch and his decision to underline even the most obvious points with a overly explanatory narration doesn't help matters. Rather than meditative and dreamlike, it seems only sleepy and repetitive. In the lead Gena Rowlands is quite good and, as shot by Sven Nykvist (who else?), every frame looks beautiful. Ultimately, however, there's a simplicity to the project that borders on the banal, no matter how many cultural references Allen throws in, and even at a mere 80 minutes it seems to take place in slow motion. Seldom has a mid-life crisis looked so much like a commercial for upscale coffee.
Another Woman on AllMovie
Another Woman (1988)
