Have you ever been to Rome? This film will take you to see all the beauty one can find in that city. While the audiences marvel at the art, music, and grace, Woody Allen, the director of the movie, tries to narrate four different stories. His latest production, To Rome With Love, opened in theaters in April. 

 

For some time, Woody Allen has been making movies taking place in cultural capitals. Starting with New York, he moved on to Europe expanding his range of settings to Barcelona, London, Paris and Rome. Midnight in Paris, which explored the beauty of the city and its literary his­tory, did incredibly well in theaters. In sequel to his for­mer big hit, he recently released a seemingly similar yet different film, To Rome With Love. Comparing the two movies will add to the joy of watching and appreciating of them.  

The start of the two movies could not be more dif­ferent. They both mark the start with a piece of music that effectively sets the atmosphere. How­ever, in Midnight in Paris, the first scenes show the magnificent sights of Paris with jazz music in the background. The sequence of shots of the Eiffel Tower, Montemartre, Chateau de Versailles, and the Musee du Louvre brings peaceful joy for the audience to appreciate. 

   
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While fascinating intake of the atmosphere and nostalgia are the main draws of the movie, To Rome With Love puts more emphasis on the characters and the stories that they tell. There are four parts to the movie, telling four individual stories about four different themes. All episodes are epic in their own way and effec­tively convey the views of Allen.

The movie deals with life and death, fame, love, and dreams. It starts off with a story of a young, newly engaged couple, Haley and Michelangelo, struggling through some family problems. Then, another story goes on as Michelangelo’s father achieves his child­hood dreams with the help of Haley’s father. The movie contains rather unusual situations as well. For instance, Leopoldo, who could not live a more normal, mundane life, suddenly becomes famous overnight. Also, a happily married couple takes a bit of an adventure as the hus­band gets stuck with a high-class prostitute and the wife with a famous movie actor.

   
 

In general, the serene flow of the former film is less­ened in this one but more excitement has been added. The added elements of humor, which was less seen in Midnight in Paris, makes the viewers laugh out loud. For instance, Michelangelo’s father sings opera on stage in a shower booth while taking a shower to overcome stage fright. Leopoldo suddenly becomes “famous for being famous,” and has cameras filming him shaving in the morning, reporting it live from his house. Such unrealis­tic and unthought-of scenes are what make the film fresh and hilarious.

 

 

Another thing that should be noted about this film is that two out of the four stories are entirely delivered in Italian. Also, Woody Allen actually appears in the movie. Woody Allen started writing comedy in the 1950s and has moved on to writing and directing films. He has cre­ated over 40 movies but has rarely appeared in his own works. In this movie, in addition to writing and directing the movie, he plays Jerry, Haley’s father.

 

Besides Woody Allen, viewers could take a pleasure in seeing many recognized actors star in this film, includ­ing Judy Davis, Alec Baldwin, Penelope Cruz, and Ellen Page on the screen. Also, Alison Pill, who played Zelda Fitzgerald, the wife of Scott Fitzgerald, in Midnight in Paris, acts as Haley.

   
 
 

The thing that holds the four stories together is the charm and beauty of the city. As always, the depiction of the artwork, music, and architecture of Rome in the film is extraordinary. This seems to be Allen’s specialty. In Midnight in Paris, he brought the magical, whimsical at­mosphere of Paris on screen. He captured the beauty of the streets, the buildings, and even the attitude’s of Pari­sians. He has managed to portray the people’s apprecia­tion for art, music, and books so effectively that the audi­ence members are absorbed in the city and also develop their own appreciation for beauty. To Rome with Love, on the other hand, focuses less on these artistic features. The city and the beauty are more of a background of this plot, and the movie is more dynamic and enthusiastic.

   
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The two most romantic cities are portrayed in the most different ways possible. Critics have mixed views about the recently released film. It is definite that people who are expecting a sequel to Midnight in Paris will not get what they are looking for in the new movie, To Rome with Love. Allen exposes the audience to different styles. It is evident that he is a truly creative and experimental director full of ideas.

 

This entertaining, imaginative movie will make you want to leave for Rome after mere seconds. For anyone suffering from the boredom of everyday life, this movie will be enough to turn things around and deliver the fan­tasy and livelihood of love to you

 

On the other hand, To Rome With Love, plays the famous “Nel Blu, Dipinto Di Blu,” more recog­nized by the title “Volare.” Then, a security guard from Rome appears on screen and says to the audience that he sees everything from where he stands, and that “Every thing is a beautiful story in Rome.” This scene hints that the movie will be more focused on the stories of the people in Rome.


 

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