It seems that there has been developed a certain trend among the majority of critics and even Allen's fans regarding his work of the 1990 - 2000+ period. With every new movie he's made there are complains that Woody lost it and would never create anything as great as some of his best films of the 70s and 80s. It is a good thing that Allen does not seem to care and keeps releasing year after year the films that are still among the best the industry has to offer. I've seen every picture Allen has made, and I said in one of my reviews, "Woody Allen makes good, very good, and great movies". Even if I don't love all his movies equally, they are all good, there is something (often - a lot) to enjoy in every single one. His latest, "Cassandra's Dream" is not an exception. This is a tale of two London brothers, Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell),who are good friends and have been very close since their childhood. At one fateful moment of their lives they both would face an inevitable choice of how far they would go to get what they want and what price they would pay. I found both McGregor and Farrell terrific and they had a very believable chemistry together. Tom Wilkinson, as the successful and wealthy American uncle/Mephistopolis who seduces the nephews with a terrifying yet promising offer is wonderful as always. I happened to read a few critical reviews before I watched the film and after I finished it, I couldn't help thinking if it was the same movie we saw? Yes, once again, Allen meditates on the eternal subject of Crime and Punishment and he comes up with the superb script, confident directing, and as a result - a gripping and thrilling film that is as much a crime movie as it is about family values, loyalty, choices, doubt, guilt, and regrets. The film is beautifully shot by great Vilmos Zsigmond (McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Deer Hunter, The Black Dahlia, Images, The Long Goodbye, and Melinda and Melinda}, and the original dramatic unsettling score is composed by Philip Glass. As you can see, there is a lot to enjoy in the Allen's movie of 2007 which I see as one of the best of the last year. I personally can't wait for the next Allen's project to be released, the new film set in Barcelona.

In London, the loser brothers from a working-class family, Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell),buy a second-hand sailboat name Cassandra's Dream for their leisure. Ian poses of big shot and has big dreams, saving money to invest in two hotels in California while the unstable Terry is an alcoholic gambler addicted in pills and mechanic. When Terry loses a great amount in a card game, Ian lends his savings to pay part of the sum Terry owes to loan sharks. When their wealthy uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) arrives in London coming from China, the brothers see the chance to borrow the money they need to quit the debt with the loan sharks and to invest in the hotel. However, Howard asks them to get rid of his former associated Martin Burns (Phil Davis) that is threatening him and his businesses. Ian and Terry have to decide whether they shall cross the line and help family or face the lack the money to resolve their issues.

"Cassandra's Dream" is a tragic thriller where the plot point is the moral decision of two simple but honest brothers whether they should cross the line, commit murder and live with that later. Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor have great performances and their characters are perfectly developed; Hayley Atwell is extremely gorgeous. However, Martin Burns is not well-developed, maybe intentionally by the writer and director Woody Allen, to keep a distance from the viewer the same way Ian and Terry do in the story. The tension in the plot is limited, actually prevailing the dramatic moral fight of Terry and Ian later in this engaging movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Sonho de Cassandra" ("The Cassandra's Dream")

Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell) are brothers who gets into money troubles. They like to play big, buying a boat together, looking at flat, and driving fast cars from the garage where Terry works. Terry gets into gambling debts of 90,000 pounds to some loan sharks. Ian is pretending to be a big property developer to win over beautiful actress Angela (Hayley Atwell). They go to uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) for the money. Only uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) asks for an unbelievable favor to take out former associate Martin Burns.

These are not particularly good people. Ewan and Colin are so charming that you want to root for them, but the characters don't allow you to. The tone of the movie is too light. Woody Allen just doesn't have the gritty ugly style that this movie is demanding. It seems like he keeps trying to make an amusing character study. It would be a lot better as a dirty thriller. Woody Allen just isn't that kind of director.