Colin Firth and Emma Stone work their magic in Woody Allen’s 20s-set romantic comedy.
Renowned Oriental illusionist Wei Ling Soo has just finished delighting a crowded theatre in Berlin when he steps backstage and reveals himself to be the very, very British Stanley Crawford (Firth).
He might make a living through magic, but he’s also a strident rationalist who occasionally dispenses with his elaborate stage get-up to uncover the charlatans and tricksters who prey on the rich.
His latest target is Sophie Baker (Stone), a young American woman who has made a name for herself as a clairvoyant on the French Riviera. Her beauty and apparent psychic powers have wowed the obscenely wealthy Catledge family, but Stanley’s having none of it. He makes for their Côte d’Azur mansion with the aim of breaking Sophie’s spell and yet – as you might well expect – things don’t quite go to plan.
It might be a far cry from 2013’s brilliant Blue Jasmine, but Magic in the Moonlight certainly isn’t a total bust. Firth and Stone are always welcome screen presences and Allen provides just enough charm and offbeat whimsy to make it work while it lasts
Magic in the Moonlight is a Film programme that first aired in 2014 and has been classified a 12 certificate.
