A useful but uneven turn from Woody Allen

Looking just at Woody Allen's work as Director, there is a clear point of view in the performance. It supports the film well enough, though it rarely changes the temperature of a scene. There is some texture here, but I wanted a little more surprise. The performance has a clear idea behind it, but the execution is not equally strong throughout. A few scenes feel specific and grounded, while others fall back on familiar choices. Different viewers may value it more, but for me the effect was limited.