Written and directed by Woody Allen

With Alec Baldwin, Woody Allen, Judy Davis, Roberto Begnini, Penelope Cruz,

Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig, Ellen Page, Alison Pill, Flavio Parenti, Alessandro
Tiberi, Flavio Armilato

Fortunately, some things never change. Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love” is undeniably old school Woody Allen. Sillier than last year’s “Midnight in Paris” and lighter than a feather this film has his requisite neurotics, fantasy fulfillments, and existential angst. And Rome never looked more gorgeous and sun kissed.

There are four stories that are unconnected to one another. They even occur in different time frames. But everything hangs together.

Antonio (Alessandro Tiberi) and Milly (Alessandra Mastroandi) are attractive but slightly boring

newlyweds having just arrived to enjoy the pleasures of the Eternal City. They become involved in a tangle of farcical situations when Milly loses her cell phone and are forced to become unfaithful to one another..  Anna (Penelope Cruz), a high/low class hooker, adds hilarity and spice to their scenario.

Jack (Jesse Eisenberg channeling Woody Allen), is an anxious New York architecture student. His girlfriend Sally (Greta Gerwig) is a pleasant but unexciting woman. Her young actress friend Monica (Ellen Page) appears on the scene and Sally invites her to stay with them. 

Monica is a self absorbed, pretentious, narcissist woman who is catnip to Jack. Jack is followed by John (Alec Baldwin), an architect reliving his own time as an architecture student in Rome. He is a cynical voice of reason, popping up to give his opinion to Jack whenever Jack is tempted by Monica.

Then there are New Yorkers Jerry (Woody Allen) and Phyllis (Judy Davis), who have come to meet their daughter Hayle’s (Alison Pill) Italian fiancé, Michelangelo (Flavio Paretti), and his parents.  Crazy stuff happens. Jerry is a retired opera director who happens to hear Michelangelo’s mortician father, Giancarlo (Fabio Armilato) singing in the shower. He decides the man has an extraordinary operatic voice and decides he wants to promote him. However, Giancarlo can only sing while showering.Jerry comes up with a madcap solution to this problem.

The other story involves Leopoldo (Roberto Begnini), an everyman who becomes a celebrity overnight. Literally. Instantly he is hounded by paparazzi, appears on talk shows, is pursued by gorgeous women, is asked what he eats for breakfast (toast and jam). Everyone is awestruck and hangs on his every  mundane word.

The acting in this romp could not be better. Everyone is a bit of a caricature, which is intended. Fabio Armilato is a true Italian opera star. His singing is glorious. No one is as funny as the loose-limbed and bewildered Roberto Begnini as he tries to evade legions of fans and photographers. Alec Baldwin is great as the solid, avuncular voice of reason as he makes his remarks to Jesse Eisenberg. The cast are all very fine comic actors.

Woody Allen’s work often borders on the ridiculous. His witty situations in film are legend by now. It is all pretty frivolous; it is lots of fun with picturesque escapism galore. If Rome is not in your travel plans, “To Rome with Love” will whisk you there. Cappuccino, anybody?