Wonder Wheel

A 1950’s semi-transient family living and working on Coney Island, Humpty (Jim Belushi), Ginny (Kate Winslet) and her pyromaniac son Richie (Jack Gore), are struggling to make ends meet when Humpty’s estranged daughter, Carolina (Juno Temple), arrives seeking help. Neglecting Ginny, staying off the sauce, and now torn about caring for his daughter Humpty has some serious thinking to do; meanwhile, Ginny’s interest in heartthrob lifeguard Mickey (Justin Timberlake) adds an angle of complication just the same. Leave it to the mob to show up and ruin everything, this can’t end well, or can it?Written and Directed by Woody Allen this period piece drama with schadenfreude comedic tendencies sets out with the best intentions but ultimately falls flat with comedy that never really soars and characters that otherwise feel only half cooked. On the positive, on top of her game Winslet still manages to pull off a feat of wonder of her own keeping Wonder Wheel from completely hitting the skids. Additionally, both cinematography and lighting shine thematically; but, the end result is a film that feels remarkably unimpressive even when held up against Allen’s hit and miss track record. Maybe wait for a rental on this later, Wonder Wheel is rated PG-13.