Melinda, Melinda

Released: 2004
Drama, Comedy
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Will Farrell, Vinessa Shaw, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 99 minutes

The breakdown:  A conversation between playwrights in a restaurant shows how two different perspectives would spin the same story about a woman who's down on her luck named Melinda.

I can't stand Woody Allen, but I didn't know he was directing this one before I started watching it.  He's not in it, but Will Farrell plays Allen's personality in it, so it's like he's in it still.
So this conversation starts off in a restaurant with 4 friends discussing how they differ in view points.  One likes to do drama's and tragedies, the other likes comedies.  One of the people at the table says they will tell a true story and see how the two people react to it.
The movie switches back and forth between the two versions retold by the playwrights, and at parts, I have to admit I got confused.  The same actress plays Melinda, but all the other players change between the two versions.
Overall, I didn't care about any of the characters.  I found the playwrights to be speaking pretentiously and arrogantly, which is a big turn off for me.
The drama/comedy plots were also boring and didn't keep my interest.  Plus you can't relate to all the characters in the film because they are living the high life in New York and are socialites and wealthy.    

I say skip this one and watch Sliding Doors instead for a similar parallel woman's story, but with much better plots.

1 out of 5 for Steve Carrell who plays a small role, and for Chiwetel Ejiofor, who's character, I did like.  The acting is solid, but the plot is completely uninteresting.