New York, I Love You (various directors, 2009)

Following the model of 2006's Paris, Je T'aime, this is a collaborative effort by eleven filmmakers of varying renown, each contributing a short piece on a loose theme of relationships, featuring a wide array of big-name actors. Unlike in the case of its predecessor, there is no prologue or epilogue as such, but the characters spill over from story to story, knitting the whole together in a more organic way.
Filmic exercises like these easily turn into love-ins for the band of directors if there is no quality control: a strong hand is required to separate the wheat from the chaff, and this is unlikely when plurality of views is the guiding principle. Portmanteau films will therefore almost invariably end up unsatisfactory in comparison with single-auteur works, with the knowledge that any segment that works will soon be cut short and be replaced by something of less certain quality. In Paris, Je T'aime, this was not a major hindrance as there was little story merging, however here not only is the proficiency of some of the makers patchier but the greater overlap of stories also compromises the integrity of the better pieces. Consequently, some of the segments have virtually no point to them at all. It's probably best considered as a quick guide as to which unencountered directors it's worth investigating further or ignoring.

5/10