“Europe In Manhattan”
Does Massy Tadjedin want to be Woody Allen? Tadjedin’s directorial feature debut “Last Night” is a four-character relationship drama taking place in New York. Three of the characters are from Europe and their accents seem to instantly elevate their IQ’s. It’s certainly refreshing to hear such intellectual conversation from a source other than Allen. Tadjedin has pulled off a near miracle here, losing points only for some ambitious yet pretentious editing that becomes annoying in several scenes.
But a conversational movie requires performances from actors that are so good we find ourselves hanging on their every word. Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington and Eva Mendes are three of those actors turning in top-notch dramatic performances. Each succeed beyond our expectations. Keira Knightly gives a tour-de-force that shows her at her Oscar-calibre best and more than justifies her recent Academy Award nomination for “Pride And Prejudice”.