Opened: October 9, 2020

Directed by: Woody Allen

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Selena Gomez, Jude Law, Diego Luna, Liev Schreiber, Kelly Rohrbach, Annaleigh Ashford, Rebecca Hall, Cherry Jones, Will Rogers, Suki Waterhouse, Ben Warheit, Griffin Newman, Kathryn Leigh Scott & Don Stephenson

If it weren’t for divine performances by Timothée Chalamet and Elle Fanning, A Rainy Day in New York would be an easily forgettable film.

College couple Gatsby (Chalamet) and Ashleigh (Fanning) take a trip into Manhattan for a day when Ashleigh gets the chance to interview film director Roland Pollard (Liev Schreiber). While Ashleigh’s interview leads to an adventure, Gatsby reconnects with Chan (Selena Gomez).

Coming at a time when director Woody Allen was under fire in the #MeToo movement, the film doesn’t do him any favors. The camera work is shoddy, and the screenplay is grossly pretentious.

Gatsby would be highly unlikable and Ashleigh annoying, but Chalamet and Fanning easily elevate the writing. They both have stellar moments that’ll keep you invested in a far-fetched plot – at least in Ashleigh’s case.

Final say: The performances save the film. ★★★☆☆