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Cassandra's Dream | 
 enlarge | Director: Woody Allen
Actors: Colin Farrell, Ewan Mcgregor, Hayley Atwell, Peter-hugo Daly, John Benfield
Studio: Weinstein Company
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.95
Buy Used: $3.67
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New (44) Used (30) from $3.67
Rating:  29 reviews
Sales Rank: 8653
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Widescreen, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 108 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: WEID81064D
UPC: 796019810647
EAN: 0796019810647
ASIN: B0013D8LC2
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: DVD works perfect. Includes original dvd case and artwork. Satisfaction Guaranteed!
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Product Description
Studio: Genius Products Inc Release Date: 09/30/2008 Rating: Pg13
Amazon.com
Scottish Ewan McGregor and Irish Colin Farrell play two Cockney brothers who get in over their heads when a wealthy relative asks for a favor. Woody Allen's sleek thriller Cassandra's Dream begins in innocent times: Ian (McGregor) and Terry (Farrell) buy a sailboat and name it Cassandra's Dream. But soon Terry falls afoul of gambling debts and Ian falls head over heels for a sultry actress who doesn't take him seriously, leading them to ask their uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) for money, which he's happy to give them--if they'll get rid of a man who's going to testify against him. The first half of Cassandra's Dream zips along with short, concise scenes and charismatic performances by the lead lads. Newcomer Hayley Atwell (Brideshead Revisited) is alluring as the actress, while Sally Hawkins (Persuasion) brings warmth and sympathy to the underwritten role of Terry's girlfriend Kate. The second half--as with many of Allen's later films--seems to run out of steam, though there's still much to admire about Allen's clean, unfussy filmmaking. Regrettably, he seems to have lost the ability to sustain his imaginative spark. The weakness is in the writing; too many of the characters are barely sketched and clumsy lines of dialogue jar the ear in otherwise well-shaped scenes. But just when you're ready to throw up your hands, there's a moment of understated grace, in which Allen's simple visuals capture something with crystalline clarity. Cassandra's Dream is a frustrating movie, but it has its rewards. --Bret Fetzer
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| Customer Reviews: Read 24 more reviews...
 Cassandra's Nightmare January 8, 2009
Arlette Stuip (The Hague, The Netherlands)
Cassandra's Dream is the worst Woody Allen movie I've ever seen. The acting appeared forced and the story was so drawn out that halfway through it, I was still wondering what the plot was. I could not relate to any of the characters and the story seemed too far-fetched to be believable. I kept telling myself there had to be some fantastic twist at the end. When it was over, I thought, huh, that was it?
I admit to being biased and preferring Woody Allen's New York movies but I am not picky - I really do love nearly everything he's ever made. In fact, I own the whole collection. I am also into his music and have seen him in concert. I am a huge fan so it is not lightly that I write this.
 Murder mystery or morality tale? December 29, 2008
Reader (Chicago, IL USA)
Woody Allen is perhaps best known for his comedies, but lately, he has been making films that are reflection on our humanity and morality. To me personally, this film is almost a continuation of the "Match Point" film. Set in Europe (England) we get to know two brothers, young and handsome, uneducated but eager to make it big in the world. Both are hustlers. One gambles in poker and on dog races, while the other pretends to be hotelier while he is helping his father in the family restaurant. Unable to keep the charade about their well set life, one gambles too much and gets in trouble with the local loan sharks while the other gets tangled in the love affair with the girl that is beyond his means. In order to make money they both so desparately need, they agree to kill for hire and their paying customer is no one else but their own uncle.
Can these two drifters and small time thiefs adopt themselves to the fact that they are now murderers? How will that affect their lives and their relationship? Can money take care of everything, even conscience?
I still do not understand why Allen had this story setup in the lower class London when it could be set anywhere. Cockney accent was hard to follow at times and two brothers in their stupidity do look like two silly boys; in spite of the awful things they've done they look like two fools. Good casting, but a bit too pretentious. This is not by any means Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment". Aspirations are high, but these two characters are too superficial, uneducated and greedy to get (me at least) pitied for their actions.
 A Spine-tingling Fable. . . November 9, 2008
Danniray99 (Expatriate in Germany)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Woody Allen's "Cassandra's Dream" is a tightly-wound fable about the morality and consequences of overweening ambition. Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell star as two working-class brothers who start out with outsized dreams but end up with a wealth of troubles wrought by obsessive social climbing. Ian (McGregor) passes himself off as a high-rolling property investor/developer, largely to impress his paramour, an alluring actress with a wondering eye (Hayley Atwell), while Terry (Farrell) sinks into the mire of compulsive gambling. In their desperation to finance their respective endeavors, the brothers turn to a wealthy uncle (Tom Wilkinson), who in turn extracts a deadly Faustian bargain from his nephews. Like 2006's "Match Point," "Cassandra's Dream" is yet another in a string of movies that are propelled by Woody Allen's lifelong fascination with class, morality (especially as it is defined or interpreted by the socially prominent) and the resulting friction. As with "Match Point," "Cassandra's Dream" has a spine-tingling, thriller-like urgency that quickens and intensifies as the story moves along. And Colin Farrell gives what may be one of his finer performances as the boozing, pill-popping and guilt-ridden prole unwittingly roped into an unspeakable vendetta.
 Masterpiece! Neo-Nazi's need not read! Review is protected under the Constitution! November 3, 2008
D. D. Braginsky
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Most people aren't qualified to give an opinion as to whether or not Soap is a cleaning product. Roger Ebert is a proud anti-semite. Hollywood and their Rags hate Woody Allen as they make no money from his films. I have known Mr. Allen for over 35 years. He is the ONLY Bona Fide Genius making films today.
Cassandra's Dream is a Masterwork. It's cast is 2nd rate with exception to Ewan. If you are simply angry that this film is not Annie Hal, you have been out of touch for almost 2 decades. This is a wonderful Morality Play and it is executed as perfectly as Allen could make it (due to lack of acting talent). His finest films - Shadow's and Fog, Crimes and Misdemeanors and Deconstructing Harry received no praise. Neither did this beauty. Woody does not care!Buy it and enjoy the last truly Brilliant American film maker (Best since another JEW, Chaplin).
Choices October 28, 2008
Randy Keehn (Williston, ND United States)
"Cassandra's Dreams" is an interesting Woody Allen film. It has a lot of the elements of "Match Point" but it does not quite rise to that level. The essential reason for that is that the audience is asked to buy into two successive choices that our lead character has to make. The writer/director has certainly done a good job of making his case for those two choices. However, many might buy into the first one but the second one may have been a choice too far. As a result it will, for many, end up as a film that does not fully relate to the viewer.
The acting is very good, the directing is excellent and the movie approaches the level of a thriller. After the movie was over, I was left quite impressed with the irony of the ending. As I thought about it the next day, I realized the depth of the irony that I hadn't comprehended the night before. This might be just the movie for a person who has fretted long and hard over a bad choice they made in their past. Perhaps things could have turned out worse? "Cassandra's Dream" really is an excellent film except for the reason I stated. It may not be "Match Point" but it's certainly better than "Scoop".
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