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Parents' Guide to

Magic in the Moonlight

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Mostly mild 1920s-set Woody Allen comedy has charisma.

Movie PG-13 2014 97 minutes
Magic in the Moonlight Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 11+

Based on 1 parent review

BestPicture1996
BestPicture1996 Adult
August 23, 2014
age 11+

Firth's cynicism and Stone's sparkle make movie magic

While this is certainly not a great follow-up to last year's "Blue Jasmine," "Magic in the Moonlight" is an adorable film in its own rights, and this rests mostly on the chemistry between the two. That said, while I like their chemistry, the thought of them being a couple is pretty strange, even by today's standards; he's over 50 and she's a quarter century. Allen's dialogue still shines through, with some wry British wit thrown in. It's really a cute period piece that does make you think about what one is willing to believe in.
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What's the Story?

Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth) is a famous magician and illusionist (his stage persona is Wei Ling Soo) who's recruited by an old friend (Simon McBurney) to help unmask a possible psychic imposter, the charming Sophie Baker (Emma Stone). Sophie and her mother (Marcia Gay Harden) are guests of the very wealthy Catledges, and Brice Catledge (Hamish Linklater) is set on marrying her. Stanley thinks Sophie is a fraud and tries to expose her, but he winds up exposed himself, after a fashion.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (5 ):

MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT is a trifle -- pleasing and full of charm, but it doesn't hold a candle to director Woody Allen's meatier films, like Crimes and Misdemeanors or even Midnight in Paris. We've seen this plot before, in other Allen movies: opposites attract, with the male protagonist a skeptic and a neurotic who finds himself enlivened in the presence of a beguiling young woman he can't quite understand.

Nevertheless, Stone makes a perfect beguiling young woman, with big eyes and sass, a 1920s ingenue with a backstory. Firth is great too, all pomp and know-it-all hiding a surprisingly soft center. But the one who holds our gaze the most is Eileen Atkins; as Stanley's Aunt Vanessa, she steals the show, full of grace and wit and easy wisdom about how life surprises and love conquers. Though Stanley postures a lot about the meaninglessness of it all, Magic in the Moonlight, swathed in cynicism it may be, could be one of Allen's most romantic movies.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Magic in the Moonlight depicts faith and belief. How do the characters feel about the subject? Do they change their minds? Why or why not?

  • Allen's movies are said to be fairly similar to one another. How does this one compare to his others? Does he have different themes/types of movies in his canon?

  • Is it OK to include smoking in a modern movie that happens to be set during a time when it was common practice? What impact could that have on viewers?

  • Is Stanley's stage persona, Wei Ling Soo, stereotypical? Is it OK to include this in the movie since it's set in the 1920s? How would reaction to it be different today?

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