To Rome With Love: Lust and Cynicism

Woody Allen aficionados will thoroughly enjoy his new antipasti of a movie. It serves up a little of this and a little of that all on a single plate with a common theme, like marinara sauce, drizzled over the selections.

Since To Rome, which stars Allen and a superlative cast, is a rom-com, the theme is obvious.

But Allen's new movie is also like a lemon meringue pie: Frothy and sweet at first bit, but dense and tart underneath.

Allen dwells on one of his favored themes —celebrity —and reaches the cynical conclusion paraphrased here. Life is shabby and it sucks, but is a lot less crummy if you're a celebrity.

Most of the characters are swept into the cult of celebrity and willing to forsake the ones they love for a twirl with fame. In this way To Rome is a lot like a cup of espresso: dark and bitter.