Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Woody Allen stars as Val Waxman, a two-time Oscar winner turned washed-up, neurotic director in desperate need of a comeback. When it comes, Waxman finds himself backed into a corner: Work for his ex-wife Ellie or forfeit his last shot. Is Val blinded by love when he opts for the reconnect? Is love blind when it comes to Ellie's staunch support? Literally and figuratively, the proof is the picture.
Hollywood Ending is a mid-tier Woody Allen comedy that plays on familiar Allen tropes — the neurotic, self-absorbed artist, the Hollywood satire, the romantic entanglements — without adding much new to his canon. The blindness premise is a clever comedic conceit but the execution is uneven, and the film feels like a lesser entry in his prolific output. Acting is competent but not especially memorable beyond Allen's own familiar persona. Cinematography is serviceable but unremarkable. The ending leans into meta-commentary on critical reception and art, which is mildly amusing but not particularly resonant. Novelty is low given how formulaic it feels within Allen's own filmography, recycling his well-worn Hollywood satire beats.