26 September 2023

A Rainy Day in New York

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Reviewed by Rama Gaind.

Writer/director: Woody Allen, Defiant Screen Entertainment.

Written and directed by Woody Allen, A Rainy Day in New York is a 2019 American romantic comedy starring Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Selena Gomez, Jude Law, Diego Luna and Liev Schreiber.

The film follows the romantic exploits of a young college student Gatsby Welles (Chalamet) on a weekend trip in his hometown of New York City, trying to further bond with his college girlfriend Ashleigh Enright (Fanning). She is in the city to interview a famous film director Roland Pollard (Schreiber).

Chalamet, with an unusual name, is whimsical and engaging in the role of a wealthy young undergraduate at an upstate liberal arts college. Ashleigh, a sprightly, well-groomed gal is a student journalist who has the opportunity to go to Manhattan and interview the anguished Pollard for a college paper.

Ashleigh and Gatsby agree to go together, but the rain inspires romantic adventures; Ashleigh winds up in nonsensical situations with Pollard, with his screenwriter, Ted Davidoff (Jude Law) and with a certain immoral womanising star called Francisco Vega (Diego Luna). Gatsby gets to flirt with a younger woman – the younger sister of an ex-girlfriend, Chan (Selena Gomez).

As with Allen’s films, a familiar sight is the earthy colours of brown, ochre and yellow. This palette forms an integral part, together with people wearing corduroys and sweaters.

Despite a good young cast and some recognisable musical numbers, there’s not much appeal. However, Gomez comes out on top, moving smoothly with some of the film’s better lines.

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