MAGGIE'S PLAN

I needed an antidote to BLACK MASS and the week of relentlessly sad news, so caught MAGGIE'S PLAN tonight (well, technically last night now that it's after midnight) and was glad I did. From the response of the audience and audience comments on the bulletin board of the theater, only a minority of viewers got it. So it might not be for you.

But I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a Woody Allenish riff (but directed and co-written by a woman, Rebecca Miller) on an almost Shakespearean comedy of good intentions gone awry in mostly white coupledom. The acting is terrific, especially from the main trio, Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke and Julianne Moore, with newcomer (to me) Aussie-actor-playing-an-American-perfectly, Travis Fimmel charmingly stealing the few scenes he's in.

It's smart but silly, or silly but smart, and yeah a bit contrived and tied up with a ribbon, but what a sweet and entertaining way to escape into movie land for a little while.