Celebrity (1998)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jonathan H

  
  At the core of Celebrity is an idea too good to screw up: revisit Fellini's La Dolce Vita, set it in the contemporary world of show-business, and replace Fellini's stoic, handsome stand-in (Marcello Mastroianni) with a Woody Allen-esque goofball. Not only is the concept of… More
  At the core of Celebrity is an idea too good to screw up: revisit Fellini's La Dolce Vita, set it in the contemporary world of show-business, and replace Fellini's stoic, handsome stand-in (Marcello Mastroianni) with a Woody Allen-esque goofball. Not only is the concept of Woody Allen lost in a world of beautiful, superficial people intrinsically funny, but in holding up the the elegant world of 1960s Italian bohemians alongside the artificiality of 1990s American celebrities, the satire basically writes itself. However, reimagining what for my money is one of the greatest films of all time is a tall task, even for a director as great as Woody. The aforementioned Allen-esque goofball is played by Kenneth Branagh. His performance, in which he overtly mimics Woody Allen, has been almost universally derided. I don't think there any problems with the writing or casting of his character. Amidst the pristine movie stars and hungry publicists, there's huge comic potential for an awkward neophyte trying desperately to get his foot in the door, but the real Woody Allen is a bit too gawky, and a little too old. Plus, had he cast himself, it might've added an element of discomfort to the proceedings. When Branagh seduces Winona Ryder and Charlize Theron it's merely improbable; if it was Woody, it would've been narcissistic. The stand-in needs to be someone younger, more generic-looking, and slightly more authoritative. Allen's previous headliner John Cusack would have been a good choice. The Shakespearean Branagh seems an odd choice, but he adopts a goofy haircut and desperate smile that at least make him look the part. In Celebrity's early-going, I found myself enjoying Branagh's take on Allen's angsty New Yorker archetype, but as the movie progresses, acting starts to give way to imitating --indeed, Branagh explicitly starts imitating Woody. Allen's speech patterns and inflections are mimicked with incredible precision. Branagh's performance is not a disastrous artistic choice, but it is a distracting one. Defending himself against this common criticism, Woody Allen once claimed that only when he's forgotten will Branagh's performance be truly appreciated (as it would then no longer be viewed as an imitation). I suppose that could be true, although Celebrity will be forgotten long before Woody Allen. At this point, his screen persona is as indelible as those of John Wayne or Groucho Marx. As for the thematic concerns, and the aim to be a "modernized La Dolce Vita," the results are mixed. Sure, I'm biased because I put Fellini's masterpiece on a pedestal, and Allen definitely observes and comments on the nature of celebrity, but it doesn't quite have the poignancy nor does it touch upon the overarching societal problems that a fame-obsessed culture possesses quite as well. Like La Dolce Vita, Celebrity doesn't have a pointed narrative, it's more of a series of episodes and vignettes connected by one or two common characters. The two movies also share a surreal, dream-like quality. Neither seem to take place in a real world, but in spin-off, slightly tweaked universes. In Fellini's world, consequences are non-existent, and the characters all seem to treat life as a bit of a joke. In Allen's world, everyone is vapid, but gravely serious. It's the voice behind it (Allen's) that's amused. The gorgeous black & white cinematography by Sven Nykvist - the Bergman regular who also worked on the similarly striking Another Woman - brings the movie further into a dream-state. It has a soft-focus fuzziness that makes people look like airbrushed magazine models, and visual contrast that often turns backgrounds and faces solid black or solid white, making them seem like they're floating. This is one of the first movies from Allen that has a vivid sense of place without that place being Manhattan. Like all of Allen's movies, it takes place in (and was filmed in) New York, but it doesn't seem like it. If anything, the world of Celebrity seems more like an exaggerated Hollywood. It might have made more sense to film it (or at least set it) on the west coast, although that would have required the notoriously home-bound Allen to leave his apartment for upwards of a month. Celebrity reminded me a lot of Shadows and Fog. For one thing, they're both black & white movies that no one else liked (as of 1998, these are Allen's only two movies to have a "rotten" score on rottentomatoes.com). Both also have a Franz Kafka stand-in for a hero, a star-studded cast of eccentric and maddening supporting characters, and a deceptively light tone with dark undercurrents. In Shadows and Fog, that undercurrent was sometimes genuinely menacing, whereas in Celebrity it's more sarcastic and cynical. Allen seems equal parts amused and dismayed by the people who live in Celebrity. All of this leads to what I'm sure is a very unpopular opinion, which is that I prefer Celebrity to Deconstructing Harry. The latter had a similar structure, although it felt disjointed, and many of the asides seemed pointless. Celebrity, on the other hand, has a consistent tone, and a unifying caustic sense of humor. Every detour seems like a piece of a puzzle, even if they're put down in random order. That said, it can't measure up to the film it's honoring, but that's not a bad thing -- very few can.

• moon r

  
  Filled with an A-list of celebrities standing around in rooms filled with celebrities who're talking about other celebrities (when they're not discussing their next project or trying to sleep with one another), seeing and being seen, Allen's insight, an insider's… More
  Filled with an A-list of celebrities standing around in rooms filled with celebrities who're talking about other celebrities (when they're not discussing their next project or trying to sleep with one another), seeing and being seen, Allen's insight, an insider's perspective delivered with angry boredom, seems to be how boring it all really is, corrupt, degenerate Western society (and yet everyone wants in), how bewildering. But that is really all he has to say, almost as if he were angry at the viewer for choosing to watch ...

• Alice S

  
  Can't really describe what's good or bad b/c there's so much of that self-deprecating pretentiousness that is Woody Allen's genius...or downfall. Branagh's American accent is excellent though. Halfway through the movie, I remembered he's British.

• Steven C

  
  One of Woody Allen's more unusual films. "Celebrity" may seem meandering for about 3/4 of it's runtime, but it's true intentions are finally revealed in its last half our. The black and white cinematography may be a bit much, but the copious master shots and… More
  One of Woody Allen's more unusual films. "Celebrity" may seem meandering for about 3/4 of it's runtime, but it's true intentions are finally revealed in its last half our. The black and white cinematography may be a bit much, but the copious master shots and endless monologues more than make up for it. Spot on performances by Judy Davis, Charlize Theron and Leonardo DiCaprio are the highlights of it's huge cast. Not perfect by any means but it does have it's moments, just like every Woody Allen film.

• Anthony L

  
  It?s got a great cast but no one delivers a fantastic performance or seem to be able to gel together on screen. A film about big egos tarnished by big egos!

• Jennifer X

  
  It's a decent effort by the Allen, but it's nevertheless a landmark movie because after this I only have one (!) movie left until I have seen Woody's entire directing repertoire. I'll watch anything that Judy Davis breathes in, and she makes this movie that much… More
  It's a decent effort by the Allen, but it's nevertheless a landmark movie because after this I only have one (!) movie left until I have seen Woody's entire directing repertoire. I'll watch anything that Judy Davis breathes in, and she makes this movie that much more palatable. It boasts a cast crammed full of famous names, and most of their performances I could describe as solid: Charlize is gorgeous, Leo is dependable, Noni is amazing, Branagh is a natural mimic, Montegna is the one comic spot in the film. Easily forgettable, but not a bad or boring movie to be watching.

• Candy R

  
  Woody Allen movie about a mix of celebrity lifestyles. Leo makes a cameo appearance as a crazed movie star into drugs and women. I trust that this is not a reflection of Leo's self.

• Michael G

  
  I saw it only once and I remember being not thrilled at all. First, it was nothing short of strange seeing Kenneth Branagh playing Woody Allen. It lost me for the last half but grabbed me again in a way for the last 5 minutes that ALMOST made up the all the boredom. Seeing DiCaprio… More
  I saw it only once and I remember being not thrilled at all. First, it was nothing short of strange seeing Kenneth Branagh playing Woody Allen. It lost me for the last half but grabbed me again in a way for the last 5 minutes that ALMOST made up the all the boredom. Seeing DiCaprio parody himself and just looking at Winona Ryder were nice, but it's so incredibly easy to forget this movie exists.

• Byron B

  
  I expected great things from the stellar cast. But it was too dark. I became bored. And I could not get past Branagh's bad Woody Allen imitation!

• Eduardo T

  
  Messy and has not much going for it. All the scenes where thrown at you. I had a really hard time understanding what was going on. The part that babbled me the most was the fact that characters kept being introduced then cancelled. They didn't even add much to the plot. Did Woody… More
  Messy and has not much going for it. All the scenes where thrown at you. I had a really hard time understanding what was going on. The part that babbled me the most was the fact that characters kept being introduced then cancelled. They didn't even add much to the plot. Did Woody Allen ever attend screenwriting 101? On the bright side this was a little funny. The funniest scene was when they where at the premiere. "He's one of those @$$^*$# that likes to film all his movies in black and white". It's funny because this film itself is in black and white. Also, that joke about the critic hating all movies but now loves every movie because he married a women with big boobs is just hilarious. I don't know if that kind of stuff is true. Maybe it is, all critics are just made. Just kidding, just because someone gives something a bad review doesn't mean that there mad. It just means that what they reviewed wasn't any good. This film also doesn't offer any insight on what celebrity's go threw and there obsession with fame. It just shows them doing random stupid stuff. The acting itself was good but it takes more then good acting to make a film. It also takes good character development like Leonardo DiCaprio clearly stated in this film. That being said this had terrible writing. The only possible way I can think of you liking this is if you're a Woody Allen fan. If you're not then don't even waste your time. .

• Joey N

  
  LOADED with stars, Celebrity is an entertaining film with a very nice visual appeal (crisp black and white). The structure is a little bizzare. Essentially it's a series of sketches whose characters mostly disappear after their portions are finished. But honestly, I just went… More
  LOADED with stars, Celebrity is an entertaining film with a very nice visual appeal (crisp black and white). The structure is a little bizzare. Essentially it's a series of sketches whose characters mostly disappear after their portions are finished. But honestly, I just went with it. It's kind of refreshing to not have to pay too much attention to plotting and pace and just enjoy the comedy as it comes. From what I've seen of her (Husbands and Wives, and TV's Judy Garland biopic), Judy Davis is prolly the quintessential nerorotic woman. The scene with her and a banana is the best piece of slap stick I've seen in a long time. She has this role down pat. Kenneth Branagh is downright grating at points though, doing a way-too-good Woody Allen impression. Charlize Theron is unbelievably sexy and Leonardo DiCaprio and Winona Ryder shine. A worthy, if not a masterpiece, Woody Allen effort.

• Mike T

  
  This is an underrated film. Although the focus is slightly scattered, it's written by Woody Allen, and that means quality. A little more cynical than other Allen films, and very funny, this is definitely worth a look. Kenneth Branagh does an all right job playing a role written… More
  This is an underrated film. Although the focus is slightly scattered, it's written by Woody Allen, and that means quality. A little more cynical than other Allen films, and very funny, this is definitely worth a look. Kenneth Branagh does an all right job playing a role written for Woody Allen in the '70s, and the rest of the cast is fantastic. As a sidenote, Leonardo DiCaprio's cameo is downright amazing.

• Daniel P

  
  <i>"That's Papadakis, the director of the film we're gonna see. He's very arty, pretentious, one of those assholes who shoots all his films in black and white. Tom Dale - big star. He's in New York filming an adaptation of a sequel to a remake. Oh and… More
  <i>"That's Papadakis, the director of the film we're gonna see. He's very arty, pretentious, one of those assholes who shoots all his films in black and white. Tom Dale - big star. He's in New York filming an adaptation of a sequel to a remake. Oh and getting out of the elevator I see there's a famous critic... he used to hate every movie. And then he married a young, big-bosomed woman and now he loves every movie."</i> <p>A Woody Allen picture portraying a look into the world of celebrity seen mostly from the perspective of two characters - a restless writer and a former school teacher. It has some very funny lines, a few of Allen's trademark squirm-inducing reality-check scenes, and a touch of romance. <p>Kenneth Branagh essentially impersonates Woody Allen and it's an odd fit that doesn't always work. Far more successful is Judy Davis, who brings some emotional truth to her role as Robin, grappling with a life that's suddenly giving her opportunities she doesn't feel she deserves. The impressive supporting cast includes Winona Ryder, who is really rather superb as a struggling actress (and there's a brilliantly self-reflexive scene where she complains about her character's contradictions and then immediately after becomes out of character herself), Famke Janssen and Bebe Neuwirth. There are also some memorable appearances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Melanie Griffith, Debra Messing and Charlize Theron. <p>Overall though, the film never really adds up to the some of its parts - the film is entertaining but when it's over there's nothing much to think about, and there's a lack of 'soul', something which Woody Allen's pictures rarely suffer from.

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