Rent Wonder Wheel (2017)

Great atmosphere - Wonder Wheel review by JD

I enjoyed this “ play filmed on location” movie.

The Coney Island setting is superb as is all the acting, with Kate Winslet outstanding.

The Woody Allen script is original, entertaining and keeps you guessing as to where the story is going.

Not one of Woody's best. - Wonder Wheel review by JR

This is Woody coasting, well within his comfort zone. But Woody on a bad day is better than most other film makers on a good day. The cinematography is reminiscent of fuzzy, super-saturated colours of fifties movies. Most scenes are indoors and feel very stagey - it feels like a play rather than a film, and some of the dialogue is stilted and clunky although there are many allusions to the classics and Shakespeare. The casting is problematical and I was not convinced by Winslet's performance which was one dimensional playing a very shrill and moany woman, and Timberlake was rather wooden.

A flop that turns out to be pretty good - Wonder Wheel review by LC

It seems a real shame for all involved that the real-life controversy surrounding Woody Allen ended up making this a box-office bomb, with not even a UK blu ray release available, as I found it a surprisingly solid drama. It's not perfect - it's a little on the melodramatic side, and it feels quite 'stagey', but the central human drama is very engaging with a real mess of tangled love lives, and the acting is solid. I'm not a huge Woody Allen fan, so haven't seen huge swathes of his work, but I found this an interesting and worthwhile watch - even on slightly fuzzy low-definition DVD.

Draws You In - Wonder Wheel review by KW

A classic Woody Allen film, full of intricacies that draw you into the film, even when it is not one of his best. However I still am at loss as to the plot line need of the story surrounding Kate Winslet's characters son!

Not for me. - Wonder Wheel review by KF

Well, I thought it was a dreary American drama and I hated the Coney Island setting. I wasn't impressed with the dialogue or the story line and I was deeply disappointed that Kate Winslet would sign up for this.