Woody Allen has long been fascinated with the mechanics of stage magic, and this whimsical romance, set in the 20s, combines a love of prestidigitation with a discussion of metaphysics – two of his favourite subjects. Colin Firth is Stanley Crawford, a conjuror performing under the stage name Wei Ling Soo, who is called upon by his friend Howard (Simon McBurney) to debunk a young clairvoyant. Convinced that all magic is for show and all spiritualism is hokum, Stanley observes the glamorous Sophie Baker (Emma Stone) at work, only to fall under her spell, and question his lifelong disavowal of love and metaphysics.

Shot in antiquated sunny hues in the picturesque south of France, Allen’s latest is a sweet-natured contrivance; big on whimsy, low on memorability. Firth and Stone are fun despite a notable absence of on-screen chemistry, and although the whole thing occasionally displays the creakiness of an over-orchestrated magic trick, it delivers enough chuckles (if not belly laughs) to keep the matinee audience smiling.