DAN WEBSTER:
It’s a question as old as time, as applicable to a hulky guy scrawling pictures of wild animals on the walls of a prehistoric cave as it is to the latest—choose one: athlete, celebrity, politician, artist, etc.—who has been accused of some sex-related offense.
And the question is this: is it ever possible to separate the art from the artist, the act from the actor?
That question applies to more than sex, of course, as the criticisms levied at everyone from J.K. Rowling to Rosanne Barr to Dave Chappelle show all too well. But in recent years, sex has grabbed most of the spotlight.
And when it comes to sexual offenses, few major talents have been criticized, and had their reputations blackened, more than Woody Allen.
For the record, Allen’s career as a renowned filmmaker ranks among the best that the American film industry has produced: Four Academy Awards—three for screenwriting, one for Best Director for 1977’s Annie Hall—10 BAFTAs, two Golden Globes and a pair of César Awards (France’s version of the Oscar).
Also, for the record, Allen was criticized for having an affair with, and later marrying, the woman—Soon-Yi Previn—who was the adopted daughter of his then-romantic partner Mia Farrow. What’s worse, in 1992 he was accused of molesting Dylan Farrow, the daughter he had adopted with Mia Farrow. Allen denied the accusation and after a lengthy investigation was neither charged nor prosecuted. Yet the suspicions about him have lingered, to the point where many people simply won’t watch his movies—even the old ones.
Which brings us to the present day and his latest offering, the French-language film titled Coup de Chance, which translates in English to something like “fluke” or “stroke of luck” and which is available to see through a variety of streaming services.
Set in Paris, Coup de Chance tells the story of a married couple, Fanny (played by Lou de Laâge) and Jean (played by Melvil Poupaud), who live in luxury courtesy of Jean’s business—the specifics of which are a mystery. Which doesn’t stop everyone from speculating about mob connections, gossip being the game that even, and maybe especially, close friends like to play.
What we do know is that Jean is devoted to his wife, though maybe a bit too devoted, not to mention possessive. And we can see that Jean’s attentions grate a bit on Fanny. So when an old school friend—Alain (played by Niels Schneider)—shows up and starts paying Fanny attention, it’s clear that something is going to happen, these characters being French and all.
And similar to other Allen films in recent years, such as Match Point and Scoop and even Wonder Wheel, it’s fairly likely that Jean is going to discover what’s going on, and that a murder, or even two, is likely to occur.
If that plot twist, so to speak, isn’t predictable, then Allen gives us an indication of his intentions with his film’s title. And when plot points depend on chance, or mere luck, then it’s difficult to take anything more than half seriously. Even a movie by someone who used to make great films.
And Allen once made films, in his uniquely personal style, as well as anyone ever has. Annie Hall, for one, ranks 35th on the American Film Institute’s list of the greatest American films of all time. 1986’s Hannah and Her Sisters is a knowing study of family relationships and marriage, with one of Allen’s most positive endings. And 1989’s Crimes and Misdemeanors is a serious examination of nothing less than the meaning of morality.
Yet when an artist seeks to put out films more or less annually, as Allen has, the quality tends to level out. The majority of his recent releases, including Coup de Chance—which is his 50th—feels less like cinematic classics and more like mere entertainments.
That fact, and his lack of popularity, are why he has had trouble raising money in the U.S. and why his last two films have been made in France, where his movies are still admired. The French, it seems, find it far less problematic than Americans do to appreciate what they see as art, regardless of who creates it.
For Spokane Public Radio, I’m Dan Webster.
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Movies 101 host Dan Webster is a senior film critic for Spokane Public Radio and a blogger for Spokesman.com/7blog.