Neither one of Woody Allen's worst films, nor one of his best. It has a few laughs (-"Do you love me?" -"Of course, why do you ask? Because I pull away every time you try to touch me?"), some cinematically inventive moments (though nothing that Woody hadn't already done before in "Annie Hall"), and certain emotionally accurate observations. But it often feels like it's going around in circles without really getting anywhere. I decided to note down all the quote-worthy lines of this film - and they are in the single digits. And some stuff - like Allen's obsession with guns for self-defense - simply doesn't work at all. But other stuff - like the psychoanalyst who barely speaks - does work, Jason Biggs acquits himself admirably in the "younger Woody Allen" role, and as is to be expected from an Allen film, the cinematography and the music are a pleasure for the eyes and ears, respectively. **1/2 out of 4.
... View MoreReview: I really struggled to find this movie interesting or even funny. Watching Christina Ricci being a right bitch towards Jason Biggs becomes boring after a while and the movie just seemed to drag. All the way through the film, Jason Biggs is questioning his love for Ricci and the fact that there sexual relationship is none existent, doesn't help matters. His character is also a struggling comedian and his agent, Danny DeVito, is completely useless. Having Woody Allen as a mentor, also didn't help matters because his advice always leads him down the wrong path. He also tries to get help from his shrink but he just listens to all of the information without giving any advice. Basically Jason Biggs doesn't have anywhere to turn so he decides to move to Los Angeles after receiving a job through Woody Allen. It just seems like another Romantic Comedy from Woody Allen about a troubled relationship. I was hoping for a few laughs, but it wasn't that well written and it lacked entertainment. Disappointing! Round-Up: Jason Biggs, whose becomes famous through the American Pie franchise, acts the same in all of his movies and he seems to play the victim quite often. His performance in this movie wasn't that great but thats due to a poor storyline which is quite similar to other movies made by Woody Allen. The New York backdrop worked well in the movie, along with the gun scenes which were a break from the whole relationship concept, but I still expected a bit more entertainment. Budget: $18million Worldwide Gross: $13.5millionI recommend this movie to people who are into there Woody Allen movies about a couple who are in a troubled relationship. 3/10
... View MoreTaking a look at film maker Woody Allen's IMDb page after seeing his wonderful 1989 film Crimes and Misdermeaners,I was surprised to discover,that in 2003 Allen had made a movie with American Pie star Jason Biggs.With a poll being held on IMDb's Classic Film board for the best titles of 2003,I decided that it would be a good time to take a slice of Allen and Biggs team up.The plot:Finding that his client seems to be permanently stuck to working in small-time Comedy clubs,show-business agent Harvey Wexler decides that he's going to give Jerry Falk a helping hand by teaming him up with a new client of Wexler's called David Dobel.Despite there being a 2 decades gap between,Falk finds himself becoming inspired be Dobel's no nonsense view on life.As he starts writing new material with Dobel,Falk's year long relationship with Amanda Chase begins to hit a rough patch,with Chase saying that she is unable to regain the excitement which she wants had for the relationship. Doing everything they can to bring the relationship back to life,Folk begins to wonder if there is anything else left to make this relationship one worth saving.View on the film:Shooting in anamorphic widescreen for only the 2nd time,writer/director/co-star Woody Allen and Darius Khondji superbly use the format so that the sight gags taking place in the background give the foreground a bold appearance.Along with the background gags,Allen also does very well at using corner shots which show (via inner monologue ) the corners that the characters find themselves in.Whilst the screenplay does feature a number of quick one liners,as Falk attempts to break out of his small-time roots,the screenplay by Allen never allows the viewer to fully warm to the relationship between Folk and Chase.Instead of showing the relationship gradually fall apart,Allen decides to start breaking it apart right away,which leads to Chase being shown as incredibly frosty,due to Allen not allowing any warmth in her relationship with Falk to be shown.Despite Allen's screenplay giving the character a bit of the cold shoulder, the alluring Christina Ricci gives a very good performance as Chase,with Ricci really bringing out the quirkiness in Chase's relationship with Folk.Taking on a role that Allen would have done decades ago,Jason Biggs gives a confident performance which allows him to clearly stand out in the movie,with Biggs delivering Falk's inner monologue's with a real sincerity,as Falk and Chase find out if there is anything else left in their relationship.
... View MoreThis is a wholly successful Late Allen. Woody throws himself as the narrator overboard and substitutes a young fellow played very engagingly by Jason Biggs, and Woody steps back and becomes the neurotic uncle-figure who advises him on his life. It works brilliantly, and the film is wonderfully funny. The nightmare aspect of the film is the terrifying demented girlfriend of Jason Biggs played by a very scary Christina Ricci. Any man who values his life needs to run if he sees her coming. (I don't mean what that might mean if you think of the verb in a different way.) Because as Uncle Woody says: 'They ought to use her hormones for chemical warfare.' She is Miss Duplicity, Miss Psycho, Miss Narcissus herself. And her mother, played by Stockard Channing, is only one degree less threatening, and that is only because she is too old to be a cutie any longer. Woody knows all about Danger Gals, and here we have the 21st century femme fatale incarnate. And Christina Ricci isn't even that pretty, so how does she lure all those men to their doom like that? It must be THE STARE. Poor Jason Biggs, born to be the victim of a man-eating monstress! And he is so pathetically naïve! Well, this really is a hilarious and terrifying film all at once. Like life, really.
... View More