Let's deal with one thing straight away: it rains in both films. In the former, it's the crucial scene where Tom Wilkinson tells his nephews that they have to kill someone for them. And in the latter, it just happens all the time, giving it its new title.
Cassandra's Dream is quite striking from the off - it has a composed music score, by Philip Glass, which makes a real difference. I was wondering about the casting - the Scottish Ewan McGregor and the Irish Colin Farrell playing Londoners? But they are both totally convincing as the brothers who find themselves in a right mess. It gets really tense, particularly the first murder attempt in the apartment and the victim has brought a woman back with him.
Some of the less potent scenes seem a bit clunky in the acting or writing - I can't quite work it out. But the locations are interesting, and Vilmos Zsigmond is a great cinematographer.
Also you just know the relationship with Hayley Atwell is never going to work out.
Murder - and its ramifications - is of much interest to Mr. Allen, from Crimes and Misdemeanours through Irrational Man and Match Point up to Coup de Grace.
I enjoyed Rainy Day more than any other viewing, even though the plot is quite similar to the young marrieds in To Rome with Love, it goes its own merry way. And funnily enough, gambling links the two films. In the first Farrell has it bad, and in great writing it looks like he keeps losing, but doesn't... until he does, badly. In the latter, Timothée Chalamet does the opposite - wins big - uses the money to take a hooker to his mum's autumn bash (echoes here of To Paris...) but then learns something huge about his mom - played, incidentally, by Cherry Jones.
"I need to hide."
"Why don't you jump into this mummy case. I'll find some white tape."
It's gorgeously photographed by Vittorio Storaro. And benefits from great cast, especially Selena Gomez.
Two more examples of art as backgrounds:
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