Film: Melinda and Melinda

Two playwrights hear a tale. One decides that it would make a very dull tragedy; the other thinks it would make a very dull comedy. Intertwining the two imaginings makes things a little more bearable. Will Ferrell takes on the Woody Allen role and is immensely annoying. Radha Mitchell is more impressive as the two different Melindas (one can scarcely tell that the same actress plays both). A return to form for Allen? Hardly. Less embarrassingly silly than Curse of the Jade Scorpion, but the comedy isn't funny and the tragic characters fail to engage sympathy.