Well I agree the movie was deficient and here is why:
1) Condescending: the rich characters, while morally often questionable are attractive, intelligent and witty. The working class characters dress badly, their speech patterns are stilted. They are the opposite of charming, they are annoying. One gets the feeling, as mouthed by Sally Hawkins to Andrew Clay, that they are lucky to get laid once.
The "poor" sister's apartment is in downtown San Franscico and it's spacious and bright. It does not fit with her income. Allen is out of touch. He writes inside a clamshell.
2) Low-budget Indie production values: The film is all dialog, like a Kevin Smith creation, but unlike Smith, instead of clever and irreverent, the dialog relies on absurdities added to an absurd premise. Allen emasculates the leading man (Cannavale), sanitizes the relationship between he and Kate Blanchett, makes fat, old Baldwin into a Satre whose personal trainer jumps at the chance to date him, even when asked in a "you'll do" kind of way, infantilizes Sally Hawkins to the point where she runs off with a married man with no clue -- meantime she has an ex, 2 kids and a boyfriend.
3) Setup/shots: nothing special here, very mundane and barely passable, especially when more than 2 people are in a shot. Did you notice Sally Hawkins head is cut off when she stands to great Cannavale at the dockside cafe? Amateurish.
4) Facile and surface: there is no subplot, message, social commentary or redeeming value whatsoever. Instead you are given a good seat at a peep show of the breakdown of a rich lady. Yes, Andrew Clay's character is shown as someone who is hurt by the immorality of Wall Street, but he is told by everyone to "get over it", and it is significant that the part is filled by a comedian. He has no friends that are shown, there is no scene where anyone commiserates with him, and in the end he is shipped off to Alaska.
5) Capricious inclusion of personal material: how much like Mia Farrow can the Cate Blanchett character be? Then, just to juice things up, both she and her "sister" had been adopted (Mia Farrow again). And Jasmine's son is also adopted. Then Hal runs off with a 17-year-old. Need I spell it out? This last may have some relevance but none were necessary to the plot such as it is.
6) Music: OK we get it Woody Allen plays jazz clarinet. And he is also really old. But come on some great music has been made and continues to be made since 1932.
I love Woody Allen, have since his first efforts, and I admire Match Point, tho it too fawns over the rich. But do not tell me this is a great film. The truth is, that in this era of kids films like Marvel, Fast & Furious and Pirates, etc. this is the best adult fare we have available.
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