It came out to mixed reviews and tepid box office numbers, but Woody Allen’s “Cassandra’s Dream” (2007) deserved better.

Much better.

Well-written and directed — and beautifully acted -– the neo noir thriller stars Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell as star-crossed, working class brothers in London.

McGregor plays the smart brother, who toils in his father’s money-losing restaurant while dreaming of a bigger life and chasing a woman out of his league. Farrell’s brother is a sensitive grease monkey/compulsive gambler who finds himself dangerously deep in debt.

When a rich uncle (Tom Wilkinson) asks for their help, it promises a way out for both brothers -– but at a terrible price.

The title of the film comes from the small sailboat the brothers refurbish, but it clearly refers to the Greek goddess with the power of prophecy (“she who entangles men”), as the plot steadily drives the brothers toward their inevitable doom.

Farrell does a particularly good job playing the tormented brother –- it is far and away the best performance of his I’ve seen.

The film does have an unhurried pace -– so those seeking higher-octane thrills might prefer Sidney Lumet’s excellent “Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead” –- but the pace helps to ground the film’s realism and build a steadily increasing sense of dread.

I’m not sure why the film was so overlooked. I suspect preconceptions about the director -– both good (his track record of beloved comedies) and bad (his tabloid-worthy personal life) –- came into play.

Regardless, I’d give the flick four-out-of-five stars and recommend a rental -– even for Netflix subscribers who would have to schlep out to the local Blockbuster (the film is produced by The Weinstein Company which has an exclusive rental deal with Blockbuster.)

Rent: Try Blockbuster Free for Two Weeks, then plans as low as $3.99 per month

Buy: “Cassandra’s Dream” DVD at Amazon.com

More info: “Cassandra’s Dream” at IMDB.com

(1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)

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