"Wonder Wheel" of Drama

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 Woody Allen has always been known for his theatrical work in bringing to life adult-themed pieces and theatrical works made for the movies and "Wonder Wheel" is no exception. Written and directed, he has once again brought to life a piece that can be easily written for the stage.

Acting as a narrator as the story plays out Mickey (Justin Timberlake) a poet and aspiring playwright working as a lifeguard at Coney Island during the summer off from earning his masters at NYU in the 1950's. Addressing the audience, he tells the story of Ginny (Kate Winslet) a former actress now waitress in a loveless marriage to her second husband Humpty (Jim Belushi). During the summer, she deals with reflecting on the choices she made in life while dealing with her husband's daughter Carolina (Juno Temple) who is hiding out from her mobster husband, her son Richie (Jack Gore) who is skipping summer school to go to the movies and setting fires while she carries on an affair with lifeguard Mickey. Feeling that Mickey is her escape from the miserable life of living next to a carnival and becoming more resentful towards Humpty and his attention towards Carolina she prays for the day it will be a distant memory, but when Mickey meets Carolina and starts to find more of a connection with her, Ginny's jealousy begins to grow making life more unbearable and her determination to keep what she has stronger, even at other's expense.

This was a film that I could easily see being performed on a theatrical stage. Each act seemed to take you deeper and deeper into Ginny's downward spiral of jealousy and drama. It was a colorful cast of characters that made the story so intriguing. Flawed and emotional, the story made it all seem so real. Kate Winslet's performance of a bitter middle aged waitress was terrific. You wanted to both pity and hate her. Without a doubt a five G.M.Star performance for a well-written and cast film that will make you grateful for what you have. 

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