A Rainy Day in New York - A Movie Review

Who cares if it’s going to rain in New York. It’s always a fun time.

A Rainy Day in New York is a 2019 film. A young couple decides to take a trip to New York City. Splitting up on their own adventures, not only are they met with rainy weather, but their minds are opened to different options.

Lately, I have been watching more Woody Allen films. His films have clever underlayers that audiences can relate to. A Rainy Day in New York interweaves a simple day in New York with people searching for their true callings.

The cast had a fun time working on this film. Knowing full well that this film is a comedy, they did an excellent job working off each other. The film's main theme was the unexpected. Each character is in New York to find dreams or themselves. None of the characters are similar. I like that. Characters in any book or movie should have contrasting features.

I always enjoy Timothee Chalomet. He has grown as an actor. He makes the best ‘are you kidding me’ face that really made me laugh. Gatsby is unsure of his pathway. We should all explore our options instead of following the usual life norms.

I am so glad that Elle Fanning is branching out into stronger roles in the film world. Her character really got on my nerves! Having the bubbliest of personalities, she is so naive that it hurts. Not giving any situation a thought before going ahead with it, Ashleigh just accepts all questions leading to her running in the rain in her underwear.

A Rainy Day in New York includes an assortment of characters. Liev Schreiber, Suzanne Smith, Ben Warheit, and Annaleigh Ashford are some names to mention. There’s also a short appearance by Rebecca Hall who I have become a fan of in the last couple of years. Selena Gomez was a standout in her clever comeback match with Chalomet.

The best character award goes to Cherry Jones as Mrs. Welles. My favorite part of this movie that always makes me laugh whenever I think about it is when Mrs. Welles tells her son some shocking news about herself that Gatsby never knew about. The delivery and reactions in this scene are hilarious!

Woody Allen’s style of direction is intriguing. He lets his actors run with the scene to feel what’s right. A lot of scenes used improv. The film also has its humor. It’s over the top at times, but that’s what makes it funny. The quirkiness is what makes the film stand out. Comedy has multiple definitions.

The dialogue is perfect in this film. Since the film doesn’t have a complete story, it’s driven by dialogue. Allen knows how to study conversations in any of his films. Conversations have a range of depth. I noticed that the conversations are prolonged in scenes which only makes it more intriguing.

I was surprised to learn that this film was shelved before its release due to controversy. For a while, there was no official release date. I am thankful that this film exists. It’s the right film for anyone seeking a new life.

New York has multiple definitions for everyone. For some, it’s the land or new opportunities. Our young adult life is the time to reflect on what we want to do. Allen did a good job implementing this message.

If you want to binge Woody Allen films, I recommend that you watch A Rainy Day in New York. It’s an enjoyable film that is sure to make you smile.