Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
The career and personal life of writer Lee are at a standstill, so he divorces his bashful wife, Robin, and dives into a new job as an entertainment journalist. His assignments take him to the swankiest corners of Manhattan, but as he jumps from one lavish party to another and engages in numerous empty romances, he starts to doubt the worth of his work. Meanwhile, top TV producer Tony falls for Robin and introduces her to the world of celebrity.
Woody Allen's Celebrity is a mid-tier effort that recycles familiar Allen themes—shallow Manhattan socialites, failed intellectuals, the emptiness of fame—without the wit or insight of his best work. Kenneth Branagh's imitation of Allen's mannerisms is distracting rather than charming, and the episodic structure feels meandering rather than purposeful. Judy Davis is a highlight, bringing genuine pathos to Robin's transformation. Gordon Willis's black-and-white cinematography is competent and atmospheric but not distinctive. The film offers little new thematically or stylistically, and the ending resolves the dual storylines in a predictably ironic but unsatisfying fashion.